Outdoor Housing; Please Save My Sanity....

[Lou1975]

What are you all keeping 4+ pigs (all the same sex) in out in your gardens? I have four pigs and one has just has four babies! I'm hoping to keep two (if they are girls). That'll mean six piggies. Currently the new mum & babies are in a cage inside & my other three females are in a 5ft x 2ft hutch with perm access to a 5ft x 4ft covered run. The run won't be suitable for the cold weather, so now I'm looking at sheds, bike sheds, dog kennels with runs, low entry chicken coop & run set ups....I'm going a bit mad with the choice. HELP ME PLEASE!!

 

[Claire W]

When I had outdoor guinea pigs. I had four living free range in a 6ft by 3ft shed.

I covered the floor with lino followed by newspaper, wood shavings and then lots of hay over the top. I had two small open hutches either end of the shed that I filled with hay and they would use to sleep in.

I also had fleece cosies dotted around and gave them snuggle safe heat pads during the colder months.

 

[Lou1975]

Yes, I'm thinking of putting the 5ft hutch inside a shed (if that's what I settle on), with the doors open so they'd still have 24sq feet to exercise in. Where did you get your shed?

 

[Claire W]

I brought mine online from here http://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/?gclid=CPL8hYWThcYCFYXnwgodCG4Amw Mine had a stable door that we fitted with mesh so that the top door could be opened during the summer whilst keeping the guinea pigs safe.

 

[Lou1975]

I was thinking of taking my current run apart & creating an internal mesh door out of it! I'm tending to favour the wooden bike sheds at the moment; no wasted height...

 

[Claire W]

Yes, the backsides are good too but don't forget that you may need some sort of window to let light in on the days the door isn't open.