Homestead || No work, Small space pig pen
Like 3 Dislike 0 Published on 6 Oct 2015
the small space p8g pen is a great solution for small homesteads and micro farms.
This is from my visit at Echo Global Farm. This deep litter pig pen is a great option for a small space homestead.
www.echo.net
ECHO exists to provide sustainable solutions to fight world hunger.
The Deep Litter System
this system for raising pigs is designed to maximize pig comfort while meeting their needs to root and explore their floor environment. The house is filled with 3 feet of sawdust mixed with rice husks and charcoal. Combined with regular applications of a beneficial microorganism spray, this deep litter provides a dry clean healthy environment with no odors and few flies. Soild bedding can be removed and composted for 8 months to produce a soil amendment.
The pen uses Ferrocement Panels. These thin walls (1 inch) ferrocement slats hold in the pigs bedding. constructed of chicken wire and concrete morter, there are inexpensive and strong. Each panel weighs about 95 pounds. the "C" channel shape maximizes strength, while minimizing weight.
The pig is American Guinea Hogis a heritage pig with a finish weight at 150 Lbs. It takes 18 months to get them to 150 lbs, but can live completely off of forage. There is a farmer in Georgia trying to bring back the breed. i do not have any information on him at this time.