What kind of pigs are you planning to get, and what type of property do you have? The bigger the pen, the better; or as olivehill said, a fenced pasture is better yet. I too am new to pigs, and opted for a heritage breed that does best on pasture. We have no fencing, and let them roam the entire farm.
Size: How Big Should My Pigpen Be? The number of pigs you'll house in your new pigpen is the first major consideration for the space you need. If you're unsure, it's generally a good idea to build a pen with sufficient room for two or three animals more than you think you'll have. When it comes to raising pigs, one of the most important factors to consider is the size of the pig pen.
A properly sized pig pen is essential for the health and well-being of the pigs, as well as for the convenience of the farmer. But how big should a pig pen be? Thinking about raising pigs as pork for your family? Learn how to build a pig pen that will meet your and your pigs' needs. A 10'X12' pen would be to small for 4 butcher weight pigs and would encourage a lot of fighting/bickering, not to mention cleaning it or keeping it clean would be almost impossible.
You would need to build a second pen to move the pigs to so you could clean the first pen as there simply would not be enough space to safely clean with 4 pigs in there with you. You want 20sqft per pig if your. The necessary strength of the pigpen depends on the breed of the pigs, and whether or not you will keep breeding stock.
Let's talk about the different designs and styles you may need, and just how much it will cost you. Building a Pig Pen There are three primary pig pens; the boar pen, the sow pen, and the feeder pen. We are planning on getting 2-3 piglets this spring and feed them out for pork for our family and a neighbor's family.
We have a 30x30 pen and need to build a (cheap) shelter for the pigs. The size of a pig pen can vary depending on a number of factors, including the number of pigs you plan to raise, their breed, and the available space on your property. In general, it's recommended to provide at least 50 square feet of space per pig, with more space being preferable if possible.
This allows the pigs to have room to move around, exercise, and engage in natural behaviors. Regardless though you need 3 different pens. Just for numbers sake lets say you area is 6'x12' (72 sf) 3 pens that are 4'x12' each.
One for the sow, one for the boar, and one for the 2 feeders. As Liz mentioned, they need different amounts of feed. Hopefully they have a concrete floor and their pen is stout.
So, 12 pigs in a quarter-acre paddock works out to a stocking density of about 900 square feet per pig. I've seen recommendations for stocking density.