We've been having a problem for the last month with the pigs escaping. And it's been getting progressively worse daily. We are using hog, goat and combination panels to keep them in a wooded area about 75' x 75'. We've used panels since we got the pigs without a problem until this past month when the piglets realized they could get under them in places. Then the adults started following suit. We used logs against the fence at first without much success. Then we started hanging cinder blocks. That worked better but only for a while.
It seemed they really wanted to get to the acorns so we collected them and threw them in. Then we tried feeding them earlier in the morning. Then we tried feeding them more. Finally we decided we just needed to move the whole thing and reinforce it all with rebar attached to the panels to hold them down. That would make it more work to move it so we would make it small and move it frequently to new ground for them to forage.
A few days ago we hauled the hog panels up from the other location and my helper here started pounding in rebar. That bright smile was, in part, in anticipation of actually being able to contain the pigs again and not have to chase and herd pigs twice daily any more.
All settled in their decided smaller digs. Yaaaa! There are tons of acorns in there with them. It's right under a large oak. And given that it is such a small area they would only be here a few days.
Flash forward to the next morning. The dogs woke me barking at the pigs that were no longer in their pen but had broken out yet again. Malia's out in the rain helping to reinforce the pen. We got them back in and they were out again within a half hour. OK.... I get it. We absolutely need electric fencing or at the very least a strand low. I'm working on it.
I've heard that pigs are quite the Houdini's! Really makes you wonder if they're laughing at you every time you reinforce the fence, doesn't it? We felt similarly after the deer here kept breaking into our fences, we were sure they watched us do it, took notes, and plotted their next fence overthrow. I'm voting for voltage, and really hope it helps keep the piggies contained. A zap to a moist snout should be very effective. Good luck!!!
ReplyDeleteThey are quite the escape artists. Smart too. You did not say if all were recovered. Home they came home for dinner.
ReplyDeleteOh my. And we've just been researching pigs with an eye to maybe get some next spring. Sheesh. And they told me goats were bad at getting out.....
ReplyDeleteThey are escape artists to be sure. It was getting to the point it was taking a hour or two a day to round them up. They never went far but I really didn't want the neighbors calling about them. I didn't think they were laughing exactly....more like a teenager with that straight face saying "really, you expect that to work???" And my goats have NEVER been this much trouble getting out.
ReplyDeleteYes, I truly beleive electrical fencing is not optional with pigs. You've got to have it.
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ReplyDeleteGod Bless You :-)
~Ron
Yupppp, electric fencing should help immensely. We use it everywhere around our pastures with our horses... never a problem as long as it's working! :)
ReplyDeleteWe have pigs. We switched to knee-high pig fencing with a solar charger. Just the ticket. The boy in the picture (in the link above) tops over 500 # and he and the others don't touch the fence. It's also movable so you can move the pigs when desired. Good luck~! Oh, and why cinder blocks?
ReplyDeleteI'm ordering the net tomorrow for both the goats and the pigs and chargers from Premier One.
ReplyDeleteThe cinder blocks were for weight to lessen the likely hood of them lifting the fence to get underneath with their snouts.