housing sows and boars?

[lu_lu]

can sows and boars be housed together in the same area or will this cause the boars to fight ? I'm having a piggie shed (or 2) constructed and need to submit plans to the joiner (so it's done one i arrive on-mass with the piggies) I'm not sure if i can get away with a communal shed, the plan original was to have my 4 girls in a 9x3 grid house on one side with 3, 3x3 on the other side for the boys (each housing a single pig as they have had a falling out big time), the space in between would be 6ft but could be more!, i then have the option of adding a half shelf/shelf above each so i can expand and either add an upstairs are to each, another grid house incase anyone falls out or i adopt anymore...or would it be better to have a male shed and a female shed? if possible i don't want to do this as the idea of moving them into a shed is that i spend more time with them and they'll be seperate but i know its whats best rather than convinience, the shed will be next to my polytunnels and i have 4 outdoor runs 8x3 on order so when the weathers grand they'll be outside...advice anyone?

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

Hi, i have several pairs of boys and some mixed groups (sows living with a neutered male). they all live in the same piggy shed just fine. if housing pigs above one another i would always put the boys at the top so no interesting girly smelling bits of hay can drop down into their cages! also always handle the boys first and when cleaning them out dont put the boys in carriers where the girls have been. i know what you mean about spending time with them, i love being able to sit in there and look round at all the piggies being piggies
also when you put them out in the runs be careful not to put pairs of boys on grass where the girls OR other boys have been, as the smell of other males can also cause unrest as it is like a threat/challenge to them.

 

[lu_lu]

Cheers for the advise, do you think the boys can pick up the female sent from washed fleece? When changing I just grab the dirty stuff and replace with fresh fleece but don't have male and female fleece. On a few occasions the boys have had quite a spat up at the bars trying to get to each other but I just put it down to a bit of grumpiness ...

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

i don't use fleece but if it is washed at 60 degrees i am sure it would be fine.