DIY Pig ark

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DIY Pig ark
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mochyn

Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales

Posted: Tue Jul 12, 05 10:03 am Post subject: DIY Pig ark
Anyone out there got plans for a DIY pig ark? I was thinking of treated timber, bolted together, triangular seection. Anyone built one? And did it work?!

Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Tue Jul 12, 05 10:38 am Post subject:
Not tried it as we already had buildings here to suit the purpose but I too would be interested in the results. A movable ark would certainly be useful if you intend to use the pigs to dig the garden for you (as we do with our next two). I thought about using an old Nissan Vanette with the base removed. Any ideas on this too?

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Tue Jul 12, 05 10:44 am Post subject:

Our porkers live in an old truck body that we inherited with the house

. We took out the old rotten floor and replaced it with OSB board, gave it a few coats of PVA and Bob's your uncle. It has a roll-down door that we can pull down if it is cold, but otherwise it is ideal - no amount of bum scratching will demolish that baby!
Not the most attractive structure you've ever seen, but eminently practical and the price was right

. Next year I'm going to put up a trellis or some willow hurdles around the perimeter to make it look a bit better.

Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Tue Jul 12, 05 10:50 am Post subject:
Any chance of a photo Judith? Of the pig ark (truck) i mean

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Tue Jul 12, 05 10:53 am Post subject:
I'm a bit of a Luddite and don't have a digital camera, I'm afraid. But I'm sure I can find someone who has if you don't mind waiting a bit for the photo.

Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Tue Jul 12, 05 10:54 am Post subject:
No worries, when you get chance. Thanks

Wombat

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 396
Location: SW Cheshire

Posted: Tue Jul 12, 05 4:02 pm Post subject:
I have a photo saved somewhere of the one I built, sounds just like what you are wanting. Will post asap. Wombat

Nanny

Joined: 17 Feb 2005
Posts: 4520
Location: carms in wales

Posted: Tue Jul 12, 05 7:41 pm Post subject: pig ark

we made ours and it lasted fairly well

it was a couple of sheets of sterling board on wo which we bolted a couple of sheets of that curved corrugated tin and then piked up straw bales at the back that we sort of tied on.

in side we put more straw and they were quite happy in that. eventually they pushed the straw out and we replaced it with a couple of old interior doors that we bolted over the back....when they went we were able to take the whole thing apart and all the spare straw ws dug into the plot.

minimum cost and maximum affect

High Green Farm

Joined: 30 Nov 2004
Posts: 349
Location: Mid-Suffolk

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 05 9:16 am Post subject:
I'll post pictures of the one I built as well. The beauty is they are sectional so can be taken down and moved.

High Green Farm

Joined: 30 Nov 2004
Posts: 349
Location: Mid-Suffolk

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 05 3:52 pm Post subject:

As promised, pictures of our now vacated

pig ark. We made it double ended so we could rotate pigs between two enclosures.

I'll have to make another one at some point for the third of our pig areas that will be used once we get a sow.

I don't have any plans, but they are fairly basic to build out of 2 by 2 and plywood. Thicker ply for the base than the sides and roof, and it sits on two sleepers.

Let me know if you need any more instructions.

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 05 4:02 pm Post subject:
You don't want to post plans for these, do you?

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 05 4:07 pm Post subject:
That looks like an excellent arrangement. Is that a strand of electric you have running around the base at the side?

Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 05 4:43 pm Post subject:
This is superb! Well done HGF Oh and I will second that "blueprint request" by Nick

High Green Farm

Joined: 30 Nov 2004
Posts: 349
Location: Mid-Suffolk

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 05 5:05 pm Post subject:

NickHowe wrote:

You don't want to post plans for these, do you?

The plans are in my head! I saw similar arks elsewhere and went from there. Let me have a think about best how to produce some more "plans".

High Green Farm

Joined: 30 Nov 2004
Posts: 349
Location: Mid-Suffolk

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 05 5:09 pm Post subject:

Judith wrote:

That looks like an excellent arrangement. Is that a strand of electric you have running around the base at the side?

Yes it is. We went for post and rail fencing as I wanted a nice looking, and substantial fence. I also wanted to be able to lean on the fencing and chew the cud, as I seem to waste a lot of time just looking at them!

We then added stock wire and a strand of electric rope at the bottom. The electric is very, very effective and I would certainly advise people to do the same.

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