rbruno
Overrun with beasties
My two feeder pigs will be arriving soon. I have been spending the last couple weeks finalizing things for their arrival. As I continue to "check off boxes" of things to do, I try to keep a mental note of questions to ask this group. Here are a couple things I have so far.
1. How much water should flow out of the watering nipple? I have a 55 gallon blue barrel set up for watering. It is outside the pen and has the nipple sticking threw the fence. I bought nipples that said were good for gravity fed systems. I assumed that meant barrels like mine. When you push down on the nipple, water doesn't shoot out. I would say it does more of a trickle. Is that enough? Will they stand there and drink till they are full even if the water is just trickling out? There is nothing blocking the nipple on the inside of the barrel. Just wondering if there is enough water flow.
2. Should I create a starter wallow? I have two areas that are 32'X21' feet for two feeders. I was thinking about creating a wallow in a far corner from the pen. I didn't know if they will use that or ignore what I did and create one were they want it. I didn't know if it is something that they will figure out where to do their business and where to dig their wallow.
3. Are there vegetables/scraps you shouldn't feed pigs. I don't plan to give them any meat or cooked veggies that have any seasoning or anything like that, but I want to say I read some where that potatoes are not good for pigs. If that is true, are there other vegetables people avoid giving their pigs?
4. Will pigs push under hog/combination panels if the post are 8 feet apart? I have enclosed my area for the pigs with combination panels. They have the hog size openings at the bottom but are 50" tall. I chose these panels because my horses are on the other side. So far, I have my post spaced 8 feet apart. They feel pretty solid, but I know keep pigs in can be different then just "feels good to me". I was thinking about adding metal T post in between, but didn't have any sitting around the house. I will be just raising feeders so I won't have them but for 5 months.
I think that is all I had at this point, but I am sure in the next couple weeks I will have more.
Thanks,
Rob
1. How much water should flow out of the watering nipple? I have a 55 gallon blue barrel set up for watering. It is outside the pen and has the nipple sticking threw the fence. I bought nipples that said were good for gravity fed systems. I assumed that meant barrels like mine. When you push down on the nipple, water doesn't shoot out. I would say it does more of a trickle. Is that enough? Will they stand there and drink till they are full even if the water is just trickling out? There is nothing blocking the nipple on the inside of the barrel. Just wondering if there is enough water flow.
2. Should I create a starter wallow? I have two areas that are 32'X21' feet for two feeders. I was thinking about creating a wallow in a far corner from the pen. I didn't know if they will use that or ignore what I did and create one were they want it. I didn't know if it is something that they will figure out where to do their business and where to dig their wallow.
3. Are there vegetables/scraps you shouldn't feed pigs. I don't plan to give them any meat or cooked veggies that have any seasoning or anything like that, but I want to say I read some where that potatoes are not good for pigs. If that is true, are there other vegetables people avoid giving their pigs?
4. Will pigs push under hog/combination panels if the post are 8 feet apart? I have enclosed my area for the pigs with combination panels. They have the hog size openings at the bottom but are 50" tall. I chose these panels because my horses are on the other side. So far, I have my post spaced 8 feet apart. They feel pretty solid, but I know keep pigs in can be different then just "feels good to me". I was thinking about adding metal T post in between, but didn't have any sitting around the house. I will be just raising feeders so I won't have them but for 5 months.
I think that is all I had at this point, but I am sure in the next couple weeks I will have more.
Thanks,
Rob