Goat & Pig Pens ?? Info needed

[Ema]

Dh and I are finally getting pigs and goats and 2 sheep this spring. I have read different materials on how big pens should be for a goat or a pig but none seem to correspond with one another on the actual size one say it should be 3'x4' another 5'x5' and the well I can't remember the sizes that were suggested for pigs. The ones I am getting are tamworth cross, who knows what they are crossed with but they get to about 350lbs live weight.

If you have goats and pigs or sheep even, how big do you make their living quarters. Land is no issue I have about 50 acres of it. mostly wooded or heavily bushed. which I know in no time those Tamworths will take care of the bushes. It will all be fenced in with livestock fencing and I as of yet have to decide on what I will be putting on it whether barbed wire at the top or electric fencing to keep predators out, though my neighbour keeps telling I should just get a donkey? and not bother with electric of barbed wire. I am not thrilled about barbed wire, but then I keep thinking it will be at the very top, but that still worries me as i wouldn't want my animals to get hurt. Anyhow I will deal with fencing another day. I just need a good idea from experienced people here on BYC.

Ideas and advice welcome!!!

thanks a bunch,

Ema

 

[glenolam]

How much space they need depends on how much you want them to have. Yes, they can manage in a 4x4 area, but, IMO, that's not a really happy living space.

As for sleeping quarters, I make sure there's more than enough room for all goats to lay down comfortably. I don't have sheep or pigs, but I'd imagine it's the same. Right now I have 5 adult does and 2 kids that share an 8x12 barn and I fenced in just under an acre of woods for them to play in. I used box fencing with 3 electric strands inside the fence so they don't rub along the fence or jump over/under it.

Also, keep in mind that if you get goats and sheep, you may really want to keep them separate depending on how many of each you have. They both have really different mineral needs - goats need copper to survive and sheep can't have copper for example. If you only have a few, you can monitor the goats and give them their daily minerals away from the sheep, but if you have a lot of each that could become a big pain.

 

[Ema]

thanks for your reply I don't think i will ever have more than 4 goats at a time and 2 sheep. If sheep and goats can go to pasture with no issues that would be preferred but if not then I can pasture them separately. I was planning on feeding the sheep and goats inside and then allow them to go outside where they will have access to the land, fresh water and also hay.

that is what I was thinking about the stall sizes, awfully small. I rather go bigger and have happy animals.

 

[GeneJordan]

I am with you... My wife wants a goat (for play), and I want a calf (for meat)...

I am hoping that I can get a 50ft corral kit, and line it with fencing for goats. That way they both can stay together.

Reading up on it though (I am an ultra noobie at this whole hobby farm thing).

 

[Ema]

Quote:
LOL..don't feel bad, sooner or later we will find our way, that is why BYC is so great, a lot of people willing to help when you ask for it.

the goats, sheep and pigs are the big animals, this spring we also have a few turkeys, a few pet ducks and another 20 chicks coming. we have been working on it slowly since last spring, and this spring we will finally be ready for the increase...lol...

 

[Ema]

anyone else??

 

[terrilhb]

Thanks for asking the question. I have been wondering this too. So it helped me too.

 

[wjallen05]

I raise miniature dairy goats, and currently we are raising a hog (our second) who will be processed later this week *jumps up and down*
My does have a big pasture area, my two bucks have a pin that is 16x16 (cattle panels) plus a stall that is 10x6. The pig pin is next to the buck pin and it is the same size. Once the pig is in the freezer, I am going to take down his pin and the bucks pin, install wood posts, and put the panels back up and have an area that is 32x16 for the bucks. I hate raising up a pig and don't plan to again for awhile, and if we do get another, he will be far away from the house and barn- he STINKS and it's not even summer time.

Here are some photos, not sure if it will help, but for what it's worth...

to the right is the does area, to the left is the bucks, and then next to that is the pig pin

Sir Hamelot...

btw, pigs like snow. Goats do not. <G>

 

[Ema]

thank you, this did help a lot. We don't plan on wintering the pigs, as they will be in the freezer by late fall. I will be keeping a couple goats for winter and the sheep too. so this does give me a clear idea of things. Especially about the pig. cause now I will know to place his area further back so in the case of any smell my neighbours, though about 2 acres away will not be upset with the smell if the wind happens to be blowing their way during the hot summer lol. I like my neighbours so I wouldn't want to upset them.

so with this said I have a nice spot for them about 2. 5 acres from the houses. and Once the fence is in they will have some wooded land to forage through, there are a lot of berries out in that area too and plenty of shade provided naturally by the large trees, on the one side there is a bit or marsh land, I am sure the pigs will love that!! and it will not take them long to turn it into a mud pit for sure. lol.

this gives me more of a reason to use up more of my land, as currently I am not doing much with it, only using about 2 acres as of right now and I would like to use up more of it.

thank you for replying, great pics btw

Ema

 

[glenolam]

I believe the sheep and goats could go out to pasture together - the goats will graze more on the brushes and browse while the sheep will be more concentrated on "mowing the lawn" so to speak. You could even clip everyone up for grain/mineral time (which would be time consuming but works) so you're sure who's getting what and how much.

We keep our goats separate from the cows because, in our experience, cows respect fencing much more than goats do. We fenced in about 20 acres for the cows with just barbed wire. The goats go through that in a hearbeat as they can just jump over it or crawl under.