C&C or hutches better for shed?

Status
Not open for further replies.
jnenbnb

jnenbnb

Joined
Jul 30, 2007
Messages
5,866
Reaction score
15
Points
0
Location
Liverpool, UK
Hi everyone, I'm getting a shed built soon and was thinking about housing in there. I can either use the C&Cs that they live in now or splash out and buy hutches? I know it would be easier to keep hutches warm in the winter with duvets and curtains etc but is there any way i could keep C&Cs warm? They could have more space with C&Cs and could all still see eachother which they seem to like, but they are akward to get into a ced and waste a lot of space because you cant do them with loads of levels. if i were to get hutches, id be getting four double hutches which are 4foot by 3foot, with 2 pigs in each. Ralf may possibly have one to himself. Any ideas for keeping heat in a C&C without having to put loads of grids over it would be great! If you think the hutches would be better, anyone know of a cheapish builder/supplier? (i am willing to spend a bit but obviously cheap would be good!) Thanks
Emma xxxxx
 
I'm not sure...if I go along with my shed idea they will be in a C&C..

Hutches are easy to keep warm, stackable etc so don't waste space..but C&Cs can be any shape/size you want them and if things change it's easy to change the layout of the C&Cs but it's hard if they're in hutches.
 
Mmmmm I dont know really, mine live indoors in c & c`s and 2 in a 2 storey hutch, the hutch obviously takes up less room but as you say, much less space to run around.
I know some people have a free range shed with dividers, Sammy has one and it looks great, maybe pm her and she can tell you the link where she put the photo of it :)
 
Hi Emma,

You know the trouble I had with C&C in the shed, I think in your case though it would be ok because your wee boy is neutered and mine are rampant buggers! (Mr T I'm looking at you!) ;D But I do think if you go for C&C it is a hell of a lot of space lost, you can build up the hutches and then put all your supplies in it.

Good luck with it!

Louise
x
 
I have the grids all the way round the shed to stop them chewing it and various houses and a big nesting box 3ft x 2ft filled with hay complete with a snuggler. ITs on legs so they can hide under it if they so wish.
 
C&C s do sound the best option for giving them space but would you be prepared for if the shed got to hot in the summer?
You would be supprised how hot a shed can get on a warm day even with the doors and windows open.
At least with hutches you can lift them outside in the summer
 
sokel said:
C&C s do sound the best option for giving them space but would you be prepared for if the shed got to hot in the summer?
You would be supprised how hot a shed can get on a warm day even with the doors and windows open.
At least with hutches you can lift them outside in the summer
Click to expand...

That's what I do as last summer it was getting to 33+ degrees in there, I put the hutches in the garden and they spend all day in the runs and only go in the hutches at bedtime :)
 
Personally I dont like C+C grids. Gimme hutches anyday. C+C may be good for space but in the winter months they have no protection from the cold. Hutches can be moved as Sammy has said but they also give protection in winter.
 
As you know Emma all mine are in hutches in my "shed" but my hutches don't move because they're built in.

To keep the piggies cool in summer i have my 2 "windows" &  stable door door wide open & drape hand wrung wet towels at all the hutch fronts  :)

I personally think hutches are safer especially if mice/rats were to come visiting :(
 
Thanks everyone. I do think hutches are the best option to be honest. My problem is my girls are used to 5foot by nearly 4foot and i just couldnt afford hutches that big. I was going for 4x2 double hutches because they love running up and down the ramp but the ramps dont look safe in hutches :-\ is that just me? I wouldnt be able to put the hutches outside in the summer, i have 2 cats and my neighbours have 6 between them :-\ the cheapest ive seen the hutches I'm after is £130 and i'd need four, anyone know where i might get some cheaper? x
 
Hi emma....
how are you planning to set up the shed? if you do it free range it won't hurt the girls if the hutch is a bit smaller than their C&C as they will have the run of the shed, also the ramps are safe ...promise, won't take them long to get the hang of it S xx
 
Lol i just feel mean throwing them out in the cold in smaller cages than they used to have :( i know I'm being silly but cant help it. The shed is 8x6, well the one I'm thinking of, was going to have the hutches along the back wall, so they would be 2 side by side with 2 on top if that makes sense? so like a block of four double hutches across the 8 foot wall. there wouldnt be much room to free range them, espacially since they all hate eachother, after storage etc there would be about 3foot by 6foot space between four of them, thats why id like big hutches to start with x
 
my shed is 8x6...why do you need 4 hutches or have i missed something :D :D....mine is divided in half so each side is 4x6 so in theory that how much space they have to run around in,the hutch is in that space ...but it's still space if you get my drift....sorry rambling 98) 98)
 
My shed is 8ft x 6ft and i have all 24 of my girls running around free range as I call it...lol.

They just love the space.
 
Vicky(Smudger) said:
My shed is 8ft x 6ft and i have all 24 of my girls running around free range as I call it...lol.

They just love the space.
Click to expand...

mayhem..that sounds like my idea of fun ;D ;D
 
I love your sheds Sammy and Vikki, how do you get them all to like eachother Vikki? Mine are bullies! Thats a serious question by the way, this is how I'm ending up having to get more hutches, trying sephy with different people and preparing for the worst ::) when we tried her with two separate babies she just bit them loads for no reason, no rumbling, just bullying it looked like, shes used to being with my neutered boar but hes sick and seems much happier on his own at the moment. Any suggestions? Am i being too soft and taking the babies out too soon? any advice is greatly appreciated most of you know how up the wall ive been with her ::) shes only 12 weeks herself x
 
I will try and take some more pics of them this weekend, will do it after I have cleaned them out as they get all excited running around in the new bedding. :D
 
I've got the three girls on one side and jakie on the other, I've had the odd fall out but by the time I have decided to intervene they are always bestest buddies again...like being back at school :D :D I thought they were picking on giz last week ,but now it's all sunshine and light, never actually had a little hard nut like sephy though so I'm really not quite sure what to suggest there....maybe prozac.....I am joking by the way or maybe you have the prozac and let them get on with it...sorry this isn't helping is it ? S xx 98)
 
jnenbnb said:
I love your sheds Sammy and Vikki, how do you get them all to like eachother Vikki? Mine are bullies! Thats a serious question by the way, this is how I'm ending up having to get more hutches, trying sephy with different people and preparing for the worst ::) when we tried her with two separate babies she just bit them loads for no reason, no rumbling, just bullying it looked like, shes used to being with my neutered boar but hes sick and seems much happier on his own at the moment. Any suggestions? Am i being too soft and taking the babies out too soon? any advice is greatly appreciated most of you know how up the wall ive been with her ::) shes only 12 weeks herself x
Click to expand...

When we did the shed originally we just put them all together. They were all in fairly large groups anyway.

If you sow is only 12 weeks old she needs to learn to get along with others. If you want to do free range like mine then my advice is just do it. Give them a huge pile of hay, lots of goodies to eat, chubes and igloos to get into and let them get on with it. I do have a neutered boar in with my girls but he doesnt really take any notice of them.

This is a pic of my shed when we first put the sows together.

09120006.jpg


They actually have more igloos in there now and there are more piggies than the pic shows, as we have added a few new ones since we started this set up.

Some of them still have the odd tussle but nothing serious.

I think your little one has just got some serious learning to do.

Also some of the pigs have moved onto new homes now as well as they were rescues.
 
She has! I tried her with my older sows and she had a go at them, they were having none of it so they all ended up fighting with eachother, then she just bullies babies. I cant put them free range because Ralf likes his own space and is quite prone to illness so he's best separate, the older girls dont like Sephy and she doesnt like them ::) and i need storage space to really because my mum wants it all out! I'm more concerned about the older ones falling out because whenever ive put her in its ended in them two fighting with eachother rather than with her :( Your shed is fab :smitten: :smitten:
 
maisynpoppy said:
vikki can i ask how often you have to clean your girls shed out?
Click to expand...

They get spot checked everyday and then a major clean out once every week. That does change in the summer though if it gets really hot, then its every 4 to 5 days.

They are surprisingly clean in there and tend to toilet in the same areas. Its quite weird really.

jnenbnb said:
She has! I tried her with my older sows and she had a go at them, they were having none of it so they all ended up fighting with eachother, then she just bullies babies. I cant put them free range because Ralf likes his own space and is quite prone to illness so he's best separate, the older girls dont like Sephy and she doesnt like them ::) and i need storage space to really because my mum wants it all out! I'm more concerned about the older ones falling out because whenever ive put her in its ended in them two fighting with eachother rather than with her :( Your shed is fab :smitten: :smitten:
Click to expand...

Maybe you could put the older girls together in a large area and try adding Sephy when she is older. Ive never known a piggy to be that nasty. What breed is she?

She might be better when she gets a little older.
 
She's a sheltie lol. I have heard of a few temperamental shelties. i think i will leave her until she's a bit older, its just my luck to get the only sow who doesnt like other pigs lol ::)
 
jnenbnb said:
She's a sheltie lol. I have heard of a few temperamental shelties. i think i will leave her until she's a bit older, its just my luck to get the only sow who doesnt like other pigs lol ::)
Click to expand...

You're not alone Emma - i have Maddie the Menace - she hates EVERYONE except Albie ;D ;D
 
I have my piggies in the shed in a c and c and they actually like it more than when they had the hutch. and there is two 2 by 5 cages and one 4 by 5 cage for my seven piggies and they love it. I clean them out every 2 weeks and spot clean them daily O0. I cover the tops of my cages with fleec at ight to keep it warm and the door and windows are covered with a towel to stop drafts. They have the heater and the light to keep them warm, and lots of hay to snuggle into, plus becuase it is insulated with space blanket and plaster board, the shed stays warm without the heater on anyway.

I think c and c's would work in your shed and as you say they will be able to have lots more space.
 
Thanks Vikki, i am still weight up the options :) got a while before the sheds done, it will be isulated like yours x
 
Hi everyone, getting my shed sorted out this week :) My whole family have pooled together and I'm getting a shed with insulation, electrics and heating and new hutches off everyone. That will be fun to open christmas day ::) lol! Anyway, I'm thinking a 10x6 shed with 2 thistle halls and 2 lavender lodges from P@H then maybe they can have some floor space each depending on how much room is left. What i want to know is can i put them in before christmas or will it be too cold for them? I will be getting a convector heater from B&Q to go in there and its getting insulated? Also, what do you put on the bottom of hutches to stop the wee soaking the wood? I've never had hutches so wouldnt know lol! Thanks xx
 
Hi emma ,I use lino in the bottom of the hutchs, only as I couldn't think what else to use ;D
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top