Herd of pigs with multiple boys...

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claremw92

claremw92

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I'm curious...
Does anyone know of anyone who's successfully kept a herd of girls with multiple boys...?
Obviously neutered boys...

I've been thinking about my pigs and obviously there's a few male pigs whom are permanent residents but their friends could be re homed... But i don't want lodes of single boys...
Obviously there are choices such as bonding two permenent residents together... Or neutering them and giving them one of my girlie permanents...

But I was just curious to the idea of a large herd with multiple boys...

I know most people will recoil in horror of the idea... And I am aware of the reasons why this 'wouldn't' work... But I would love to hear off anyone has seen this before and it worked well...

x
 
The main reason is space - for it to work you need LOADS; enough so each boar can in fact have his own territory with as many sows as want to live with HIM and not impinge on his neighbour.
 
Wiebke said:
The main reason is space - for it to work you need LOADS; enough so each boar can in fact have his own territory with as many sows as want to live with HIM and not impinge on his neighbour.
Click to expand...

That makes sense... :)
I'm thinking of chopping and changing my shed round but not sure yet... :)
x
 
I was uner the impression in the wild they live in little colonies. With one dominant male and his wives and the other males live on the outskirts together (chased by the dominant male) The females stray sometimes to the boundries to get pregnant and save in-breeding but if she likes her mater they go off together and start there own herd. I think the idea is the non dominant males stick together for survival but have spatts over straying females from the dominant males. So unless you have space the size of peruvian mountains I doubt given that in the wild spatts occur this would work. The problem is with only a few males- I fear some males will be forced to live as outsiders :(.

but I would be very interested to see if anyone has this sort of set up. Two placid OAP's may sort out dominance really easily and not challenge each other perhpas.
 
Of course it can work, it does in the wild. Little male piggies in the wild don't pack their bindles and head off into the big wide world at 3 weeks old!

It is however, not recommended in captivity as its so difficult to recreate the natural environment to allow for the natural behaviours (as outlined by hazeyg).

Firstly, you'd need a very large female:male ratio. Secondly, you'd need a hell of a lot of space. I don't know what kind of space you'd need, simply because I'm not particularly well read on guinea pig colonies in the wild, but I can't imagine even the biggest shed would be anywhere near large enough. Thirdly, any kind of housing that you can provide would be enclosed. I think this is the main reason not to do it. No matter how big the space is, one male can still corner and attack another, because it's enclosed. In the wild, there are no boundaries, so they can have as much space as they need, be it a few square metres, or a few miles!

Personally, I think it's a bad idea!
 
Territories are a bit smaller in captivity because piggies need less to space to forage, but you are still talking of a few square metres per boar to make it work and need to have extra accommodation for boars that get into trouble. There is always the inherit chance of serious bloody fights.

Piggy groups are dynamic systems that constantly change and evolve, not static ones. Even with just one neutered boar it is not always plain sailing.

I know of only one or two people who have more than one neutered boar living with a herd of sows successfully, and both have huge pens; about half a big conservatory for two boars (one submissive one) or a whole outbuilding with access to a big run in the garden.

I would think that just a shed would be too small!
 
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I think it's a bad idea. In the wild boars will probably injure each other during fights and the loser will get a good distance away to recover. With a restricted space it could be really bad.

I had a massive fight with two neutered boars who had always been together with no girls a few years back. One of them had to have surgical staples to repair the damage. I always felt terrible as they were in a five foot hutch outside and I didn't see it kick off

Paula
 
Clare, maybe pm Christine? She has this set up, about 8-9 males? I get the impression from her pics she has converted her entire conservatory for this, there were some pics when there was a meet last year at her house x
 
Just to add I think you'll need tonnes of space plus it could come down to personalities/luck! :)
 
As I said I am wellaware of why it wouldn't work... I was wondering if anyone had done it with success... Nout is impossible... :))
Thanks for the replys though... Defiantly something to think about...
x
 
claremw92 said:
As I said I am wellaware of why it wouldn't work... I was wondering if anyone had done it with success... Nout is impossible... :))Thanks for the replys though... Defiantly something to think about...
x
Click to expand...

Lick your own elbow then :P
 
I managed this with my old herd years ago. However since I have learned I was just incredibly lucky that they didn't fall out! My mum bought me three baby 'girls' to add to my four established sows. Turned out two were boars, but luckily we separated them straight away and no one fell pregnant. The vet told us that getting them neutered would change their behaviour and they wouldn't fight (obviously not very cavy savvy!), which I remember even as a child at the time thinking "Hang on, I think I read somewhere it wouldn't.."
However we tried it out and they lived with the girls for over 6 years without a single tiff, I think perhaps the girls ruled the roost and kept them in order. They eventually also lived happily as a trio with one girl when the herd reduced one by one to the Rainbow Bridge. I don't think I would ever attempt it again though, being older and wiser and knowing, as I said before, that I was just extremely lucky! :))
 
I guess if you had the right personality with your boars it could possibly work, i have a single and a pair of boars, Bentley get's a little agitated when he is near by but Chester my other pig is so laid back he couldn't care less ! Some very chilled boars like Chester and some dominant sows might be the key to success !
 
Well some of you may know that I have a herd of 32 piggies 9 neutered boars the rest sows of different ages. The have LOTS OF SPACE . Indoors taking over most of the conservatory in winter and outdoors in summer in a 12ft x 10ft shed with access to an 18ftx12ft outdoor run.
Maybe I am incredibly lucky but have never had a fight. Some dominantn behaviour,and a fewnips here and their ,but the piggies seem to get on very well. They are ranging in age from 5-6 years old down to just a few weeks old. All the boars are of course neutered and it takes them a while to stop chasing the girls .
I find that new boars tend to hover round the edges of the group and it takes a few wheeks for them to integrate completely.

The run is now a covered bird aviary and the piggies are locked in the shed after dark.
I would love to keep them inside all year but it would be too hot indoors,and besides they love to be on the grass.
The run is raked over each evening to remove most of the poos.and at the end of summer is dug over and reseeded or turfed.
If the grass gets too worn I cover it with shredded bark which can be raked off and used around the garden.
 
By the way I wouldnt advise anyoe to have such a large herd unless they have lots of time and energy and are prepared for vets bills!
 
Can I ask Christine why such a large herd? Have you got the piggie addiction ;). I could never afford it. Is there a distinct hierachy in your herd? Do they have mini herds within the herd. Do they all snuggle at night together? If so i NEED a photo. Does each boar have a few females each? How long does it take for a new male to stop humping the girls?
 
i find this thread so interesting, as i visited a zoo on exmoor last summer, where they had two areas, right next to each other, with a low wall between, and a ramp in each one to an inside area, one side had all females, the other side all males, all ages, about 15 in each side, and babies with mums, i asked the keeper about the babies and she told me thet some visitors lift up the piggies, despite a large notice saying not to , and put the wrong ones back in the wrong pens, hence babies, none of the males fight , desite females in season being so close, yes they had large areas, but i really thought with the females being so close ,it would have been a problem .
 
christine said:
Well some of you may know that I have a herd of 32 piggies 9 neutered boars the rest sows of different ages. The have LOTS OF SPACE . Indoors taking over most of the conservatory in winter and outdoors in summer in a 12ft x 10ft shed with access to an 18ftx12ft outdoor run.
Maybe I am incredibly lucky but have never had a fight. Some dominantn behaviour,and a fewnips here and their ,but the piggies seem to get on very well. They are ranging in age from 5-6 years old down to just a few weeks old. All the boars are of course neutered and it takes them a while to stop chasing the girls .
I find that new boars tend to hover round the edges of the group and it takes a few wheeks for them to integrate completely.

The run is now a covered bird aviary and the piggies are locked in the shed after dark.
I would love to keep them inside all year but it would be too hot indoors,and besides they love to be on the grass.
The run is raked over each evening to remove most of the poos.and at the end of summer is dug over and reseeded or turfed.
If the grass gets too worn I cover it with shredded bark which can be raked off and used around the garden.
Click to expand...

THIRTY TWO PIGGIES! x)x)x)x)x) is all I have to say! Oh I wish I could come visit :))

hazeyg said:
Can I ask Christine why such a large herd? Have you got the piggie addiction ;). I could never afford it. Is there a distinct hierachy in your herd? Do they have mini herds within the herd. Do they all snuggle at night together? If so i NEED a photo. Does each boar have a few females each? How long does it take for a new male to stop humping the girls?
Click to expand...

Great questions, I always find the dynamics within Wiebkes herd super interesting, i'd love to hear more about your herd Christine!
 
Answer One-- I never intended to have so many,but always intended to have a herd of about 10 sows,however events overtook me as they do with piggies.
There does not seem to be a heirachy as such but the older heavier boars tend to be in charge.
They all sleep in different places at different times ,sometimes two or three in a bed sometimes under the plastic stools.
Usually takes 3-4 wheeks for the humping to stop especially when the boar gets his face weed on by an irate female!
The girls are experts at keeping the young lads in order.
Sorry I cant post photos but you might find some under the Meet up at Christines house thread.
Thanks for your interest,I am always anxious to do the right thing by them,and have "rescued" quite a few from poor circumstances ie look in the Reptile Food thread as an example.
I am aware that I am open to critisism keeping such a large herd ,but I think that various people who have been to see them think that all is well so far!
Now that I am retired it gives me time to look after them. In the summer we sit out inthe piggie area and spend many happy hours just watching them.
I dont know how long a piggie memory is but mine certainly remember from one summer to another where all the different gates doors beds grass etc are and it only takes them a few minutes to settle into summer or winter quarters.
If you want to PM me with your address I would send you some lovely photos.they have to be seen to be believed.
 
christine said:
Well some of you may know that I have a herd of 32 piggies 9 neutered boars the rest sows of different ages. The have LOTS OF SPACE . Indoors taking over most of the conservatory in winter and outdoors in summer in a 12ft x 10ft shed with access to an 18ftx12ft outdoor run.
Maybe I am incredibly lucky but have never had a fight. Some dominantn behaviour,and a fewnips here and their ,but the piggies seem to get on very well. They are ranging in age from 5-6 years old down to just a few weeks old. All the boars are of course neutered and it takes them a while to stop chasing the girls .
I find that new boars tend to hover round the edges of the group and it takes a few wheeks for them to integrate completely.

The run is now a covered bird aviary and the piggies are locked in the shed after dark.
I would love to keep them inside all year but it would be too hot indoors,and besides they love to be on the grass.
The run is raked over each evening to remove most of the poos.and at the end of summer is dug over and reseeded or turfed.
If the grass gets too worn I cover it with shredded bark which can be raked off and used around the garden.
Click to expand...
I am in absolute awe of You and your dedication to your piggies :rose
 
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