I've Solved Our Pig Barn Problems! (Designing for Happy Pigs)
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- Опубликовано: 4 фев 2025
- A different, low labor, high animal welfare way to raise breeding pigs!
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Just a Few Acres Farm
PO Box 269
Lansing, NY 14882
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You will see a pig limping at around 7:35. That is Tiny Tim. Her mother laid on her when she was a piglet and she has limped ever since. Nothing to be done about it; she gets around just fine.
I was wondering if he made out ok on the move.
I must really care about your pigs 🐖 because I noticed it prior to seeing this message. I thought he had a fight with another piglet.
How will you protect pigs during farrowing?
Hi Pete I wanted ask what clock place that you purchase from I know time savers what was the other one.
Hello, I rec'd a message that I was randomly selected to win a prize. Peter, can you confirm if this is legit? My gut tells me this is a scam, but, I just want to be sure, as I do enjoy your RUclips channel....
You know you've got the right design when you get excited about it's simplicity and elegance while it still does the job.
We raised 80 pigs a year using hog huts and large separate pens similar to what you are saying, and I totally agree. This is a labor of simplicity and happiness!! Great plan
Before we built a farrowing house we used the hog huts made them out of two sheets of plywood they looked like an a frame...I can't tell you how many times a sow ran me on top of them!!!! Once we built the farrrowing house our production went through the roof. Sows didn't lay on the pigs as bad. Our house held 60 30 on each side with cattle panels making the pens slanted concrete floors. Until the sow was ready to farrow she and all the other 5-600 stayed in the fields and low land. Those were the days.
Is your pig farm still operating? Are there any other animals kept there?
@@tony98discovery Tony we sold out in the early 90s and got out of raising pigs ans went back to row crop. In the 80s I belive most all major pig production went to the Midwest and there is no way we could compete on a large scale. The farrowing house arill stands it's a shed now for equipment;(. I miss those days and would not trade it for the world. It was hard work and taught me alot about work ethics.
Farming on any scale is always "flexible". You learn as you go... Working smarter not harder... And spending wisely. I've loved your flexible thought process on everything you do. Thanks, as always Pete and family, for sharing your life with us. ❤❤❤
I am always impressed with whatever work Pete does on his farm.
I love the fact that you take the animals happiness into consideration as part of your planning. It's one of the things I love about watching you walk around your farm - seeing the animals getting to act and live according to their nature, even if they are destined to end up as food later.
I like the way you and your wife take care of your animals. Pigs are my favorite. They're all happy, I wouldn't worry youns are doing fabulous. God bless.
I just love Billy Boar...He gets up happily and wags his little tail when he sees you. That just made me smile. Pigs are sure a pile of work. Hats off to you.
Pig, breeding, housing, quarters, care department. That’s one hotline I’ll never call!
Love your new plan. I’m excited to watch this big change come to the farm. Best of luck this spring.
Sounds like a great plan! Would you cover the addition? I didn’t understand that part.
I was an architecture major in college (left school to join Navy). I love the thought processes you are walk us thru, bigger isn’t always better, rehabbing old spaces might be the answer or this new idea. I believe your architect mind is in overdrive and deep down inside you are loving it! I can’t wait to see how this eventually turns out.
Pete, your new plan seems extremely sound. I have spent forty-five years in the field of engineering design and construction, and your design methodology directly parallels the design philosophy of our field. It's funny how, given enough time, practically seems to creeps it's way into the plan. We've noticed that the first plan, loaded with all of the sunshine and roses preferences, tends to slam headlong into practicality and the inevitable budget constraints. I'm looking forward to seeing your final outcome. Have a great one, Pete.
I like your approach to problem solving. You could have jumped into your initial plan, but thought about it, refined the plan, and now have a happy plan. Great job, Pete.
Yes, I am excited for you. I love seeing your happy pigs. They truly do look relaxed and happy. Onward with the new. Every spring my Grandmother would start her spring cleaning and the motto was always, “out with the old and in with the new”! I think it applies here as well.
Nice work getting the details thought through. That's what it takes - excited to see it all coming together.
Always love a new video to help start the day off. You must of had a long talk with Patty to be able to get that much filming done in front of the barn and she was not complaining. Keep up the great videos
That sounds like a well thought out plan. Your winter pigs are so calm they love their home. I can’t wait for the changes working smarter not harder
Pete, this solution is elegant and sounds like it ticks all the boxes for the changes you really wanted to make. I think the planning phase of any major project is both my favorite and can also be the most frustrating part. I totally relate to your comment about Occam's Razor - it is so easy to fall into the trap of over-complicating design and planning and let scope creep change your original goals. I find it really rewarding to hear (and watch) you talk through your decision making process. Good luck on the new pig pen! It sounds like a real winner.
Pete, I like how the process has been revised and you consider all the details associated with the options you have considered. Taking a simplified and efficient approach to the entire pig operation makes the most sense!!!
Love to see common sense in action. Well done!!
We raised Tamworth pigs essentially how you described , they got along very well we did have a farrowing area for the sows to use but once the piglets were a few weeks old ( 3,4 ) they went t with the rest of the clan . We had a boar pen outside with a house for them as winter in Alberta can be brutal it was filled with straw. The other area we had was a pig pasture decided in 4 areas one of my jobs was tilling the just used 1/4 and planting what ever quick germination leftover seed we had usually barely once it was knee high they got to go in and graze , happy pig they were! One run close to the farrowing barn always had a summer mud wallow and a shade area . My mother grew a huge 2 1/2 acres garden everything that was not going to be used was sent over the fence to the pigs , they could see us working in the garden and would call out to use trying to get some treats , they were like pets you could walk in the pig pasture and they would be like dogs and follow you around to get scratches and loved up.
Billy is always so happy to see you. His little tail wagged. I can tell you’re a good farmer. You respect the animals while they’re with you and say you goodbyes when they go. People can’t seem to understand that store bought meat is the same way, but the animals aren’t always treated well. The best you can do is appreciate them and respect them when they’re with you and respect them when they slaughter. All that to say the animals are always happy to see you. Love the vids keep it up Pete!!!
A buddy of mine instilled a phrase in me, "There's always room for improvement." I love it because it serves as a reason to push forward while simultaneously giving you solace in accepting that no solution is without some flaw. Loved your old design when you pitched it but clearly there was "room for improvement". Excited to see where this journey leads Pete!
I cannot get over how big Billy has gotten! He is HUGE!! I can't wait to see what he produces!
As in so many of your videos the careful thought that you and Hilary apply to problem solving shines through. I don’t raise pigs, but I do have a life. And we can all benefit from good advice.
We used a 60 by 40 building built in the early 30s, but well maintained.
It had a south facing celestory roof that was common locally. I have also heard that roof called a sawtooth roof.
The alley way, and foundation were concrete.
The point of this is the floors in the pens were paved with 12 inch square hollow clay tile on gravel. Once in memory Dad, and I pulled up the floor to relevel it. This was perhaps my most difficult reply ever.
Thank you spellcheck.
Thank you Pete.
Right on keep it simple! We had 3 sows going at once in one area.... it was amazing to have a herd of 20 something piglets running around.
AND you won't have to keep buying packaged bedding for the pigs in small pens. All the large pen pigs are so obviously happy so THAT is a great example to follow. They never even made it to the big outdoor pen and have stayed more comfortable with "them pesky people". Just imagine the contented snorts of the beach front sun bathers on all the sunny days of winter! A very good plan for all involved! When you went to get JJ, he looked huge, stubborn, and scary compared to your other pigs. He was scary big! You have made a friend of him because every time you are around he rumbles friendly sounds and tries to get close to you. And Little Billie is the same. Those boys will help make things work out with the new plan. I look forward to watching the changes with everyone, animal and human living happier together. You just had to think, visualize, and discuss to get here. Good job, Hil and Pete!
I love how you take us along on your thought process. I don’t have any experience with pigs yet so this is very informative and gives me ideas of what I can do on my own farm. Watching you video reminds me of how easy it is to overestimate that which is complicated and underestimate that which is simple. Thanks for another great video.m and looking forward to seeing more on how your ideas will evolve. Have a great day. 😊
Pete, your new plan for the pigs sounds like a more simple solution than the other designs you talked about. Your smiles and enthusiasm are encouraging so we look forward to when you put this solution into practice.
It's funny how the answer is often right in front of you. I've always liked the way you raise out your winter pigs. They have plenty of room and ventilation without the muddy mess you can get with outdoor pins or small enclosed indoor pens.
Back in the early 1970s I was a grad student at Iowa State University. At that time there was a fellow grad student studying the dunging behavior of pigs. All I can say is that you are on the right track 😀
I may not have a farm but I still learn from you Pete. The way you think can be applied to more then the farm. Thanks for sharing your wisdom Pete.
I agree, Pete! Every time I saw your pigs in those small concrete pens, thinking they just sat in there all day... it made me sad. I'm so glad you want to change that up and create happier pigs.
Thanks for bringing us along. It is a pleasure.
Sometimes the simple answers are right in front of you ! I do agree and the excitement of you and Hillary is very important. 😊
good ending line. "Happy pigs make good pork" and that is what your customers want.
Things are always changing in your business. Lots of things to consider and keep making it all working together. Part of being your own boss. You are doing great. Keep warm and dry. 🙂
It sounds like a great idea! I have always believed that keeping an animal in a natural surrounding is so much better for them. They do seem happy when they feel more freedom to move about.
Sounds like a solid plan! Good to see the progression of ideas. Looking forward to seeing the action!
More good thoughts from Pete. Years ago I learned, it takes a lot of work to achieve simplicity. Recently I saw a RUclips comment I liked regarding design: you're not done when there's nothing more to add, you're only done when there's nothing more to remove.
I think you'll find if you introduce the boars together when the sows are all already pregnant and not in season or open, they will likely get along fine. Competition starts when a sow is in season, but if you can establish that rank of who is top boar, then when a sow is in season there will be less fighting. You can always move a pair you want to breed to the old pens when a sow is open and due to come in season and use them as the Honeymoon suites. Once you know the sow is pregnant, they can go back to the herd. Love your idea Pete...in the wild, boars and sows with piglets run in sounders....they do just fine. There's no reason why you can't mimic nature on your farm
Animal welfare and finding a way to be able to work the farm for years to come , love how you combine both to set up farm. Wishing you well from Australia Chris 🌺
I love the way you keep your pigs!! "oink, Oink". They ARE happy! Bev in Maine
I love seeing the pigs enjoying the sunshine. Good video, Pete.
I am no pig expert but I like your solution to your problem! Keep up the good work Pete and Hilary.
I totally agree. That’s how we did it . We didn’t have the lean to . But big doors . But our pigs were happy and they got big .
You and Hillary are very smart. There is more to raising animals than just space. Animal psychology or sociology are definitely a factor and you seem to have it covered.
I was considering doing a farm like this? Now I don’t have to, I’ll just watch this channel. It’s been a week of watching, really enjoying
So true. Semi free range is exactly what we doing access to outside and inside for nursery time and medical treatment.
I love farming/homesteading and love raising hogs. I’ve found that if your growing pork in the winter if you can give them a three sided shelter and deep bedding they eat less feed, have less health issues, and they grow out faster and go to slaughter faster. I love your set up and do a similar fashion.
That has always been my motto...work smarter, not harder...just because in your mind, you might think you need all new construction..isn't so...work with what you have..but incorporate the term...work smarter not harder ...while using what is at hand.....I myself have to go this way..I am on my own and 73..and I have a 15 year old 16 hands quarter/thorougbred horse in which i have owned since he was 7 months old...so I have learn to do so much stuff with out any machinery, just my wheelbarrow, garden fork, dolly, and leaf blower...my four best helpers...and of course my big boy..how he loves to paw the sand hills down..to flat after the dump truck drops the sand into his paddock...this keeps him so entertained for days...then after the hills become much flatter, down he goes and rolls all over them...
Well I like that you started with the idea of making the pigs happy! In the end it worked out that it will also be easy for you and your better half. 😊 That way, everyone is happy!
Wow, I am so excited for these wonderfully simplified plans to make your pigs a happier place to live out their lives in peace and contentment as they are prepared to fulfill their highly respected purpose. It is a precious thing you're doing, Pete, you and your Hilary both. I've never seen such contented pigs and what you're doing for the breeding bunch is going to fulfil your deepest desire to raise them all in a contented state through every stage of their lives. Your plan is nothing short of brilliant!! I just love it! And I can hardly wait to see it all fall into place. I am so excited! lol What a pleasure it was to watch the smaller pigs basking in the sunlight in the background as you spoke... it was such a genuine pleasure to watch their contentment.
I appreciate you sharing your initial plans and then the refiguring of them.
Great videos Pete! Easy way to remember sow gestation: 3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days (approx. 114 days). I use to pasture all my breeding stock - ring them. Give your sows a few weeks after weaning to "flush" them b-4 returning to adult herd. From an old farmer, love your channel.
my husband loves your channel he said you make him smile how you talk to your animals. also my grandfather never seperated his pigs. he would say that the wild boars and sows dont get separated and they are fine so why should he. he said the healthy competition for sows kept the boars fit. we always had happy pigs.
Always feels good when you come to a decision about a problem👍👍
Thank you for sharing a glimpse of your life with us. Such an amazing channel. I've been binge watching the last couple days and leaving a "like" along the way. Please never change the way you create videos. Super original and very entertaining! Looking forward to the new Pig barn design 👍
I'm very excited seeing an idea being thought out, reviewed, debated, changed, and finally created. I can't wait to see your plans take shape!!! I can't wait for April to arrive. Please continue share all details, the ups and downs, during building process. Appreciate your videos 😊
thats an awesome Idea, You know you've got the right design when you get excited about it's simplicity and elegance while it still does the job.
Billy is always happy to see you, if he only knew what you have in store for him.
Good ideas Pete about your pigs. That’s why it pays up think things out for a while. Take care !
Awesome idea to let pigs be pigs free to roam and socialize instead of sitting in commercial style farming isolation. Wish you were closer to NJ, I would love to buy good quality feeder pigs from you.
Intuitively, what your saying makes a lot of sense! You'll continue to raise happy, healthy pigs!
Sounds like a pretty good plan, we used to do the same thing 25 years ago. We did have problems with 2 different boars, who would kill and eat the smallest weakest pigs, under 2 weeks old, you might want to watch for that potential problem. We kept the boars separated until the pigs got about 2-3 weeks old.
I’ve done pigs on the small for a wee bit now. Grew up around a medium size operation when my grandfather ran hogs. I just do a few a year
It’s only this year since we moved we got an old bank barn where the sheep and goats live in the barn, our kune kunes will take a stall, but our big pigs will go into an outdoor run with a similar idea… deep bedding and then once D day comes a tractor bucket cleans it out for the next batch.
Good idea about rethinking grouping. Pigs need to be pigs, I never enjoyed constant cleaning off the concrete in confinement
The constant pursuit of efficiency. Don't ever lose that, Pete.
I'm glad for you that you found a happy solution for all. 😊
Also love how Bill wagged his little tail when you called his name!!
Growing up, everything was in the woods in the warm time or in the barn on a dirt floor with bedding in the winter. Those old paths still work, Pete. We did, however, feed the boar separately with extra protein. Ha, I was looking at the guys and said happy pigs means happy meat and you echoed it! Can't wait to see it happen!
A happy bunch of guys. Pigs are fun…they have their own personality. Enjoy your weekend Pete. Things are going well for sure. Funny thing with society today is that information is plentiful but hands on people are tough to find. In short too many cooks in the kitchen. Your logic is perfect for the pigs.
Sounds like you folks have a well thought out plan . Personally I feel it's always good to mull things over . Saves stress , and dollar's.great video
I'm excited!!!!! 😃 Really enjoy hearing your thinking process, Pete.
Very exciting! That’s definitely a win win, you save a lot of money on concrete and simplified the design which means less work. Great job y’all!
Carnt wait ,just do what you think is right and that’s good enough for us , just PLEASE keep the video coming, have a great day , and yes get someone to bring you a COFFEE now and then cus you work hard , bless you Pete
Pete, I think you have it nailed down this time.
A combination of simplicity and low labor inputs is likely the key to being able to expand your pig operation to the degree you are working towards. Our brood pigs are inside for the winter months on concrete and its a very considerable amount of work keeping their pens clean, as you know. Not to mention i absolutely go through a fair amount of bedding material to keep them dry and clean. I’m very excited for you to get your feeder operation up and running as i will absolutely make the short drive to take some off your hands regularly.
I have always loved your three sided barn for the ability to drive a tractor straight into for clearing bedding without having to fork anything by hand. My only question was if you were comfortable with farrowing in a deep bedding system, or did it misunderstand that aspect?
Taking lots of notes, I think this is a great improvement on initial design have breeders live similar to feeders with less work closer to nature
I agree when ever you are designing a system you want it as simple as possible to use. Great job!
Pete, Hilary, looking foward to the new season, with your new farrowing setup.
What a good video - you call your farm "Happy Farm". Thanks Pete.
Mine all stay together. They have a shelter that they can get into and have access to the outside with electric fence. Now I live in New Brunswick Canada. I get a lot more snow and gets a lot colder than you do. Had two sows farrow this weekend and are sharing the duties. Deep pack. No heat lights. I will loose a few by getting stepped on but can’t help that. Good plan pal on your end. Have to watch for sows with over aggression and ship them to butch.
VW Family Farm was having trouble with their sows ganging up and attacking their new boar, so I was going to suggest that they do a setup like you have, with separate stalls and one sow in with the boar at a time. And now here you are, fixing to change to their system of keeping all the sows and boars in one big pen and pasture. LOL I obviously know nothing about raising pigs! I think your solution is a good one, and I can't wait to see the breeding sows and boars all lying around in a happy pig pile in the sun like your winter pigs are now. I hope all goes well with the barn addition build and transitioning the breeders to their new lifestyle.
If you wait longer enough the answer will come! Good for you and your extended farm!! Happy pigs happy life!!
Outstanding! I am excited for the plan and you and Hil. You said it all in the title: Happy pigs. If I lived anywhere near New York state, I would drive with my ice chests to the farmers market to buy your pork. I will repeat my belief that you and your family are good stewards of the resources entrusted to your care. All the best to you from us in Oklahoma.
I farrow and raise out on pasture in Calf huts all year round. In in Wisconsin and evern when temps are as low as -20 we do just fine. The only thing I'm adding is high tunnel. My sows will have a calf hut within and their own spot for the first week of farrow. Then a general area for all to be together. Deep wood chips method and then the tunnel will be cleaned and produce planted.
Sounds like keeping it simple is the way to go, I agree your pigs out in the building look very happy
Happy for ya. Bringing the planning to action is a big step. Then comes maintenance, the joy of working in the Trades.
What a fantastic job this new version will be!! Many years ago my farm was underdeveloped and work was very manual labour. I tried to persuade my father to put in a more modern winter housing facility. He was very reluctant until I pointed out "You are not getting any younger and this new facility will cut down the work by 75%!" He saw my reasoning! I can not wait to see you get on with all these changes!
I like the new plan - it's very much what we do with ours with 2 exceptions - we do not allow sows to farrow together and we do not allow our sows to farrow in the pasture. I'm sure you can guess at the reasons so I won't elaborate unless you'd like me to.
"Happy pigs make good pork!" Loved the video Pete, and glad to see you and Hilarie are so excited about the plan! Less work is always a good idea-we called it working smart. And it seems like you've pretty much planned for every eventuality. My grandfather had his sows farrow together in an area in his barn that resembled what you have pretty much. Can't wait for spring!
You and Hilary are thinking/observant people ❤
Pete, you are a good farmer. This design and practice should work. If the pigs are happy I bet Pete and Hillary are happy. Thanks for sharing your life with us. We are fans from north MS.
I've been watching you and you're sweet wife Hillary do stuff, so keep doing stuff with Hillary. You might ask you're contractor what he thinks, has he done this kind of thing, and then do what you do so well. It's fun to watch you and Hillary do that Benny Hill kind of video. That was wonderful to watch her chase you around the place. Yes I loved this video. Michigan didn't get any snow from the last weather front. It's fun to watch you plow on the small tractor. Anyway, keep the videos coming.
We used to go out in the garden taking a couple of wheel barrel loads of dirt and put on the cement floor sun times the might get a couple of bean plants peas and what ever other plans might goin that dirt but it was sure fun to watch those little critters go play in it dirt on the floor and straw on top where she would lay
Sows remind me of other matriarchal animals. We worked on a free range pig farm in Maine one summer. The sows were all out in a huge wooded pasture together during pregnancy. If we didn't get a sow into a farrow pen before labor the other sows would make a protective circle around her while she gave birth.
What's? You let the pigs call a meeting and decide the fix for the problem! Innovative!!!🇨🇦😄
Yes. Those pigs wintering in the barn bay seem very content. The hay bomb worked magic.
Pete - sometimes they say you need to shoot the engineers and move forward. Third plan's the charm! I don't know anything about raising pigs, but it sounds good - especially the part about leaving the stuff where it is!
I am really looking forward to when you begin work on your pigs' new "parlour". 😊
Thanks Pete for giving update on the new pig layout, can’t wait to see your progress, you and Hilary are so brilliant thinking it threw, keep on farming.
I've never seen you that happy before! You are SO smart! I can't wait to watch it all unfold!
Taking the time to think through things usually saves money and work so I've been told. I'm excited to see how it goes.