[FiveStreamFarm]

Hi y'all,

Another newbie question- I've seen it said (on the internet) that one must keep a wallow clean for the maximum benefit. I've seen the pigs pee in the wallow, and I understand that there might be some feces included. I can testify that the wallow is the stinkiest place in the enclosure. So, the question is, should I be "cleaning" the wallow, and if so, how the heck does someone go about that?

Thanks in advance!

 

[muleskinner2]

Just keep it wet, and don't worry about the smell. When I was in the second grade I came and told my dad that the kids at school and some of the teachers complained that my boots smelled like pig poop. He told me to tell them they smelled like money.

 

[FiveStreamFarm]

Thank you

 

[GTX63]

Rule #1 - Keep your pig pens at a distance from your house.

Inside their pen, our pigs tend to use a general area for waste, away from their shelter. Not always, but they seem to want to make the effort.
Animal smells to me are subjective. While I'm not crazy about the smell of a well used chicken coop, walking into a barn or livestock area is not at all offensive. To me.
You can remove pig waste from around the wallow, but I wouldn't bother with their actual spot. It doesn't affect them.

 

[newfieannie]

i had pigs for years. i had a farmer in one day and he said it was the cleanest pig pen he's seen. they also had a spot they used. i spent lot of time keeping things clean. course i only had 2 to look after at a time. i've always liked pigs though! there was a mill not far from the house and i would lug home shavings and sawdust several times a week. ~Georgia

 

[FiveStreamFarm]

Thanks for the replies! The idea of keeping a wallow clean seemed kinda silly, but I want what is best for my pigs. And I was curious how to clean mud.

 

[GTX63]

Pigs enjoy a little mud stuck to them. Sometimes they prefer to be covered in it.