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WINTER
AND YOUR PIG BY PHYLLIS BATTOE October 2005 |
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| WINTERING
THE INDOOR PIG
We sometimes forget that the changing seasons can still affect those little darlings that live inside on a pile of blankets. They still have to go outside for potty duty and are exposed to more drafts, etc. along with a dry heat from our homes. It is not necessary to put coats on our pigs or keep them completely indoors during the cold months no matter what part of the country you live in. They will do quite well as long as they are put outside for a short period of time. It is better
for the pig to not leave them out all day and bring them in at night as
their body adjusts to one and then has to adjust to the other. Drastic
changes of temperature over hours can cause them problems. It may be necessary for you to shovel snow from the walk to the potty area and the areas itself as most pigs do not do snow. Make sure that footing is as good as you can get it to prevent falls and injury. If necessary you can place throw rugs over slick surfaces. This is the time also to watch for constipation problems since house pigs are prone to holding it rather than staying out long enough to get the job done. You can increase fiber in the cold months or on older pigs we have given stool softeners if needed to keep things moving. Older house pigs and grown pigs would rather not go out in cold weather but it is important that they move around some and going out to the bathroom will not hurt them. It is well to remember also that your pig's temperament may not be the same during the cold months. They tend to be more cranky and irritable during the winter months. WINTERING THE OUTDOOR PIG Wintering the outdoor pig is more critical than doing so for the indoor pig. First and foremost in importance is bedding. Bedding must be plentiful and above all DRY. Blankets are not the bedding of choice for outdoor pigs. They track rain and snow into their beds and the blankets become damp or wet and do not dry out quickly. Straw is our favorite choice during the cold months. It may get damp but if heavily bedded the moisture goes below leaving the top fairly dry. (A lot like a diaper) Some pig owners think that by bedding the pig we mean throwing some straw in that covers the floor. Bedding in our area, which is very cold, means as much bedding as we can fit in the house that the pig is sleeping in. If you walk through our barn where the pigs have sleeping boxes you wouldn't know that pigs are even there. Nothing showing of the pigs at all, but you can see the straw move once they notice you are there. The sleeping boxes are simply 4x4 wooden boxes, three foot high for one or two pigs. If there are three or more pigs sleeping in one than the size is increased. Because these boxes are inside of a closed up barn they don't have to be complicated like one would be if it is exposed to the wind.
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For housing outside that is exposed to the wind chill factor housing should be insulated if possible. Houses should have floors and not be in direct contact with the ground. We found that by stacking straw or hay bales around the outside of the house that it also helps and is a form of more insulation.
We do not think dog igloos are adequate housing during the winter months for pigs. For most large pigs they just do not have enough turn around space. (Dogs bend in the middle but pigs don't) Igloos produce condensation and the pig can actually freeze parts that touch the wall if the temps are really low. A well made wooden house is much better. It really is an asset if you can make an overhang over the door of the house. Even a small one helps as they will not track in as much snow and rain because the doorway is under some protection. It is just as important to see that these pigs kept in outside housing go out to potty. You may have to resort to shoveling snow to accomplish this. They need to be made to move some even if it is just to their feed bowl or the potty spot. By removing the snow you are more apt to be able to do this as most pigs wont walk through it if it is very deep at all. With older pigs this is even more important as most constipation problems develop during the cold months when they just do not want to go out in it. Water is another problem in the winter and is as important as during the summer. If you have a single pig or two, you can keep the water from freezing with a heated water bowl. If you have more than one or two pigs than you have your work cut out for you. We use regular stock tanks strategically placed through out the farm with stock tank heaters in them and we dip the water from the stock tanks to the pigs closest at hand. We do this because there are times when even the hydrants freeze up. Usually there will be a break in temps sometime during the week and we can refill them with hoses that have been kept indoors. Pigs will not as a rule come out to drink unless they are up for feeding or potty time so it is important that you make sure that at least during those times of day that you clean out old ice and refill the water pans. Remember too, that warm water freezes quicker than cold water so use just the regular tap water when doing your chores. This is a time of year when you really need to be observant about your pig. Watch to make sure they are urinating and passing stool and make sure that they are drinking water. Try and make their footing as secure as possible so they do not fall and lie outside or injure themselves. Watch them walking so you will know if there is a problem. Make sure they are eating with gusto and at this point remind yourself that spring will come again. Copyrighted
by Phyllis Battoe - All Rights Reserved |
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