2 boars in same household as sows?

[3littlepigs]

Hello. Someone has been put in contact with us because they've got two 9 month boars that they can no longer keep. We're happy to give them a loving home but we already have two girls. I've read a few of your threads about keeping boars but I need to know just how careful we've got to be.

Is 9 months old enough to ascertain whether they're going to get on?
The girls live downstairs so the boys could live upstairs but if I've I've been handling the girls, or cleaining them out, even if I wash my hands will they smell the girls on me and start fighting?

Likewise, if I want to put all of the pigs in the garden in the summer, won't the boys smell the girls and start fighting?

Finally, my pigs are free-range 24 x 7 so if the boys started to fight, I'd have to keep them confined in order to keep them separate and I wouldn't really want to do th at. Am I being too cautious or do you think I should give the boys a chance?

Thanks.

 

[skrikopanik]

you can never be absolutely certain that boys are not going to fall out, but most boys can be kept in the same room as girls. Could you take them in a while and see how it goes?

Because you have girls, in the unlikely event of the boys falling out, they could be neutered and you could have two married couples

 

[popcorn paradise]

First off well done for asking for advice.

I'm more concerned about the free range part, You would need to confine them or get them neuterd to make sure of no accidental babys. You would be suprised to what lenghs a piggy will go to, to get his ermmmmmm jollys :red

In regards to fighting because girls are near by. I have in one room, 4 pairs of boars, a girly trio, a single boar and 2 bucks 4 does.

None of my boys have fallen out because of the girls.

 

[3littlepigs]

Thank you for replying so quickly.

Skrikopanik - I know what you mean about 2 married couples but my girls are both old ladies now - over 6 years old - so I wouldnt want them to have too much upheaval. But there again, it could be a dream come true for them . . .

Popcorn paradise - don't worry, the girls would remain downstairs and the boys upstairs for their free-ranging.

So it's not to be ruled out then, we'll give it some thought and if they still haven't got a home, maybe we'll take them in.

 

[Wiebke]

Best piggy proof the access to the stairs when free ranging the boys! Some piggies DO figure out stairs! Washing your hands and having an old cuddle pullover/tshirt for each set should serve.

I would keep them in separate runs on the lawn. They can be kept next to each other, provided they can't see each other - a bit of plastic fixed to one outside side of the run will do the trick.

 

[Niki]

I have girls & boys living in the same shed with no problems & all go out into the same run; the boys first, they come in & then the girls with their neutered boy. This means there are no smells of girls when the boys go out

 

[nutmeg]

I have girls & boys living in the same shed with no problems & all go out into the same run; the boys first, they come in & then the girls with their neutered boy. This means there are no smells of girls when the boys go out

Me too x

 

[3littlepigs]

Thank you again for your replies. So it looks as if there's no obstacle to us having the boys as long as we're sensible about it. We'll have a good think as to whether we're up to having another room taken over by guineas, twice as much poo, twice the wheeks and love . . .

 

[guineawig]

Thank you again for your replies. So it looks as if there's no obstacle to us having the boys as long as we're sensible about it. We'll have a good think as to whether we're up to having another room taken over by guineas, twice as much poo, twice the wheeks and love . . .

aw i was pleased this thread came up as i have got myself two double hutches for outside and wondered if i could keep girls in one and boys in the other. the hutches would be facing each other but about 15 to 20ft apart i wondered if the boys would fight and b watching the girlies driving themselves mad!? any advice greatfully received!