Sheds?

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Whilst with my dad today, we had a few discussions about possibly getting the piggies free range sheds to go in my parents garden. I'm there quite a bit now, parents/sister are dedicated to the guineas and my dad is home all day to watch them. I'd find it a lot nicer and I'd be happier if they all had more space. At the moment they're all either in nero 4 inside or hutches outside with hutch huggers/covers when it's raining and it's not an ideal situation.

I know a few people here have sheds and was wondering if they could possibly give a few pointers? Such as appropriate sizing, how easy they are to clean etc. Whether I should put hutch blocks in there or go with a free range idea? Just anything like might be worth thinking about really. I have 12 guineas - 11 sows, 1 boar (unneatured as it stands). Those numbers may increase though...

Thanks guys. :)
 
Go for free range and try not to increase numbers too much :) Get as big a shed as possible and perhaps put a hutch with no doors in there foir them to hide in or just lots of Pigloos etc. Makesure it has adequate ventilation- opening windows- electric if possible for lighting and heating. They would be like cleaning out a stable depending on how you did them. Line the floor with Lino or similar. Perhaps attach a catflap that leads to an outside run? 8)
 
Well they have a very large garden, it just depends on what they're willing for me to put where! ;D As for increasing numbers it's unlikely to happen now, I'm not looking to get anymore but sometimes someone might ask me to take their female and I can't say no...

Obviously toys/chubes/pigloos are a good idea so the piggers have things to do and I have spare hutches which I could take apart.

I had thought about the shed needing windows but for some reason didn't think about them opening/closing. My parents have a kitten, he's into everything. He's met the pigs and he doesn't try to hurt them but he's curious and I wouldn't want him to get in there. Can you get sheds with windows that prevent other animals entering?

I like the lino idea to protect the wood underneath and that would make cleaning a lot easier yes. I could go with the catflap/run but as of yet I'm not sure the shed will be based next to a lawn. I do however have ordinary runs so the guineas could still access the grass.

Anyways thankyou Karen for the helpful ideas, hopefully I'll put them into practice!
 
My shed has opening windows and I've tacked wire in front of them, you won't need anything special, but its important that windows open as sheds get really hot :) You might also want to consider making a wire front to go where the doors are so you can have them open safely :)
 
I dont like the free range idea of them just running around the floor withut me there...maybe I'm just overprotective! And I need things to be clean and find i have a bit more control over the mess if they are in huches...then in floortime i can do a poo check and visa versa ;D We are going to just have lines of cages across the back and front opposite eachother but I only have 2 empty hutches in there at the moment as I am still deciding whether to keep them inside or to make the move into the shed... ;D
 
:) Mine aren't free range either, they're in C+C, I need to be able to keep the rescues seperate and in compatible groups but if I had the choice my own pets would have a free range shed of their own.
 
The wire shutters seens like a good idea, keep the kitten out atleast whilst getting some air into the shed.

I was going to set the free range area a little back from the shed door aswell, just so I can actually step in and do things without one of the tykes making a run for it.

I thought about putting hutch blocks in but what I really want is for them all the have maximum space and to have a small community together. I do have money but sheds are quite expensive and I can imagine getting hutch blocks made to go in their would come with a hefty price tag too. It makes sense just to have it all free range, my sows all get on, the boar should be neautered to go in with them and I imagine it would work well.
 
You could just put a board across the front of the shed so that they don't bolt. Stable doors- with the top ones being mesh, is another consideration. They'd need to be solid for the winter/have a solid cover though.
 
PerfectPiggies said:
I dont like the free range idea of them just running around the floor withut me there...maybe I'm just overprotective! And I need things to be clean and find i have a bit more control over the mess if they are in huches...then in floortime i can do a poo check and visa versa ;D We are going to just have lines of cages across the back and front opposite eachother but I only have 2 empty hutches in there at the moment as I am still deciding whether to keep them inside or to make the move into the shed... ;D
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i wouldnt either... i would be WAY too worried and i would go out at midnight making sure they were okay!
 
I think i will always keep any rescues in the spare room as I'm even more paranoid about something happening to one of them 98) ;D
 
i was thinking about geting a shed for the chinnies... but there is NO way i am leavin them in a shed.... i know they would be fine i ♥ them in my room though so i can keep an eye on them :P
 
My girlies have a shed its actually a bike shed I have one door permantly shut the other i made into a stable door there is a small cat flap at the bottom for if the rain is really heavy I made it 2 levels inside and they use the ramp it sits in a 10' square run when i get home i'll post apic
 
^^^ Yeah any pictures would be awesome! Would give me some ideas anyway. :)

I think my guineas should be fine in a free range shed. It'll be basically a very large hutch. I don't think they'd be likely to come to much harm if the whole thing was cat/fox proofed. I'll still have my indoor hutches incase of emergencies when they need to come inside aswell.
 
In the future I would love to have loadsa rescue piggies in a really nice shed (or even a custom brick shelter leading to a huge run) but I think I would get a bit paranoid about them at night and be checking on them every 5 minutes! I love having my piggies inside too much! :smitten:

Was just thinking tho - do they get really hot in the summer? Would you have to put an air conditioning system in it? Sometimes in the summer the heat is so intense with no breeze I'd imagine it would be like a sauna in there! 98)
 
Fallen said:
^^^ Yeah any pictures would be awesome! Would give me some ideas anyway. :)

I think my guineas should be fine in a free range shed. It'll be basically a very large hutch. I don't think they'd be likely to come to much harm if the whole thing was cat/fox proofed. I'll still have my indoor hutches incase of emergencies when they need to come inside aswell.
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If you look on my thread "can I see your piggy sheds" there are a few pics of wicked sheds! I will prob get my dad to build the first pic for me ;D
 
i was considering having a piggie shed, my concern is for the winter months, how do you keep the shed heated and what temperature do you heat it to,and what type of heating do you use, I imagine it must be really expensive to run.
Mine are in their hutch in an outdoor brick utility in the winter, there is a radiator in there but it still doesn't keep the room really warm, keeps it at around 5-7 degrees in really cold weather, would love to let them have more space.
 
PiggyLoon said:
In the future I would love to have loadsa rescue piggies in a really nice shed (or even a custom brick shelter leading to a huge run) but I think I would get a bit paranoid about them at night and be checking on them every 5 minutes! I love having my piggies inside too much! :smitten:

Was just thinking tho - do they get really hot in the summer? Would you have to put an air conditioning system in it? Sometimes in the summer the heat is so intense with no breeze I'd imagine it would be like a sauna in there! 98)
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I have air con and heating and water in my shed. Its cooler/warmer/quieter than the house :) I used to have a trio of sows indoors but they were always so happy to go back in the shed that they ended up staying out there. I've had rescues though that just beg to be indoor pigs and would be 'wasted' on a shed. I have a boar at the moment that I relly wan to go to an indoor home with some wives:) Sorry, going off topic ::)
 
I've got 2 sheds one for boars one for sows they all live in cc runs not hutches the girls are in one hugh big one 15 girls all together, the boys are in seperate runs mostly in pairs but do have a trio and have had more then that at times, some are on a high shelf MIck made a wide shelf and fitted cc runs half way above the bottom runs I keep top grids on these in case of suicidal pigs ;)the sheds are both 8ft by 10ft Mick made the front double doors into stable doors with a net panel that can be hooked on while the tops are open letting in air but not cats etc the windows have netting over them as well they also have blinds that keep it cool in summer and warm in winter, the shed are heated by panel heaters on a timer I learnt the hard way radiators cost a fortune so get cheap running panel heaters mine are less then 1p a minute , I have fly zappers in both sheds and air con if needed when very hot or tall fans for warmer weather , I keep all my carry cases above the girls run which is an extra cc run if i need it but use it for storage, I have chest of drawers in both sheds with medical bits and all my brushes and scissors nail clippers and all my cuddle cups towels newspapers and cleaning stuff ( the hay is delivered every 2 weeks by a farmer and is stored in the 3rd shed , I have laminated info sheets with GG instructions and all the pigs personal info, dob etc, and posters and photos of my pigs around
in between the sheds is a brick built run with a wire top that folds up and down, as well as a mobile run if I can get it to download I will try to put some pics on
 
wow michelle what a set up, sounds brilliant, are your panel heaters on constantly in winter months and what temperature do you set the thermostat at. Can you reccomend a certain panel heater?
Would love a shed set up, don't know if i can persuade my OH though, he already thinks the pets are taking over.
 
the panel heaters are on a constant tempreture never hot just body temp so they are on a constant heat all the time , if the shed gets too hot then they click off and back on again if its too cold not sure of temp though, they are flat panels and are so much more cheaper to run then other forms of heating, tried to put pics on but Tiscali are giving me grief and everything is so slow will try again
 
Thats what we have too michelle! Yeah they get to a certain heat and click off then back on :)
 
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the outside of my 3 sheds boys is furthest then the runbetwen that and the girls and the top shed is for storgae hay food etc
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this is inside the girls shed the girls run is a lot bigger then it looks and you can only see half of it
these pics were taken over a year ago and its been extended etc
 
thanks michelle, i know the sort of panel heater you mean, i have one but it's not thermostatically controlled. Are they on just to keep the temperature abover freezing point or are they as warm as in the house.
I have a radiator in my utility room (which we converted from a brick shed) this is where my hutches are in winter, and although it has a radiator, which works fine,once the thermostat (which is in my house) clicks off at 20 degrees indoors, it's not enough to heat it to the same temperature out there,(if you get what i mean) on a really cold night it probably keeps it at 5 degrees, we are gonna try and insulate the room better this winter (somehow).I would love to have it warmer for them.
 
Well i love my shed and consider it one of the best things for my piggies who are constantly freerange and 5 levels of c&c grids

I love it and wouldnt be without it they have access to the run on lovely days

Mine isnt heated but is insulated now tbh mine were fine over the winter had plenty of bedding and places to hide so if there happy so am i
 
Love your sheds Michelle! I though about putting insulation into mine and it seems like a good idea if it's worked well for you. I also like the idea of building C&C inside the shed - you must have happy piggies. :)
 
dazie said:
Michellemuffin what size are your sheds?
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They are 8ft by 10ft I think Michelle said. Michelle the setup is brilliant, life of luxury or what. :smitten:
 
yes I do have happy piggys spoilt or what ;D Mick was brillaint with building them and designing them for the pigs benefit like the stable type doors, the heat is not hot when you open up in the morning its just cosy never hot , if you dont have a thermostate then try timer switches so they come on and off again at a 1 to 2 hour break more in the middle of night less as the days warms up early morning I did this before and it worked very well, under the sheds is polysterene blocks to help with insulation, I love free range piggys my girls love getting together for a good gossip as you can see in the picture
 
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