While it’s common to hear that keeping pigs and chickens together is a recipe for disaster, this isn’t always the case. In fact, many farmers successfully raise these animals side by side without any adverse effects. However, there are some key factors to consider when deciding whether to house them together. With proper planning and preparation, you can reap several benefits from integrating your pig and chicken operations.
For instance, pigs and chickens have complementary dietary needs, which means that the two species can work together to clean up scraps and reduce waste. Pigs also provide a natural form of pest control by devouring insects and other pests that might threaten your flock. By managing their living space thoughtfully, you can minimize any potential risks or conflicts between these two popular farm animals.
Why You Should Consider Raising Chickens with Pigs
Parasite Control
While pigs and chickens coexist in harmony, they exhibit distinct characteristics when it comes to their dietary habits and parasite resistance. Chickens are known to forage for insects, worms, and other small pests that might have been left behind by the pigs, effectively cleaning up after them. In some cases, you may even observe chickens consuming external parasites like lice from the bodies of your pigs.
This symbiotic relationship allows for a more efficient management of pest populations on your farm. In return, pigs help to aerate and turn over the soil through their rooting behavior, pushing certain parasites down into the earth. Chickens can then follow behind, digging through manure piles to uncover grubs and other tasty morsels. This collaboration results in a mutually beneficial relationship that enhances overall ecosystem health.
It’s also worth noting that roundworms, a common intestinal parasite affecting pigs, do not pose a threat to chicken eggs or meat. In fact, having chickens working alongside your pigs can lead to fewer flies and bugs on-site, as the chickens are quick to devour larvae.
Space Saving
Raising chickens with pigs offers numerous benefits, but one of the most significant advantages is the reduction in space requirements and chore time. With both species sharing a single paddock, you’ll only need to venture out once to feed your animals, significantly streamlining your daily routine. While it’s essential to designate separate areas for feeding and egg collection, this can be achieved with minimal adjustments.
In most cases, containing pigs within their own housing is relatively straightforward, and chickens are free to roam between the two enclosures without issue.
Pasture Utilization
When it comes to maximizing pasture utilization, grazing pigs and chickens together can be a game-changer. The key is in their distinct foraging behaviors. Chickens are opportunistic foragers, scratching and pecking at the surface to uncover tasty morsels. In contrast, pigs use their powerful snouts to root around, turning over vast areas of soil and vegetation. This synergy allows for some fascinating ecological interactions.
Pigs will leave behind a rich deposit of manure and decaying organic matter that chickens can then rummage through, exploiting the nutritious insects and microorganisms that thrive in this environment. By combining these different foraging strategies, farmers can create a more diverse and resilient pasture ecosystem.
Predator Control
When you combine pig and chicken farming, you unlock a crucial advantage: pigs can actively deter predators that target chickens. Chickens are notoriously vulnerable to predation, with hawks, coyotes, dogs, foxes, and weasels frequently preying on them. In contrast, pigs have few natural predators, except for the occasional coyote targeting small piglets. However, larger pigs are unlikely to be a coyote’s preferred meal.
This disparity in predator appeal allows pigs to effectively deter a wide range of predators – including aerial threats like hawks. Simply by virtue of their size, pigs can keep predators at bay without requiring any special measures.
What to Keep in Mind When Raising Chicken with Pigs
Fencing
When designing fencing systems for a multi-species farm, it’s crucial to prioritize the containment of the most determined animals. For many farmers, this means building fences that can effectively keep pigs at bay. Pigs are notorious for their ability to root under fences, so it’s essential to construct your fencing system with this in mind. While electric fences can be an effective solution for pig control, they may not be suitable for all species.
Chickens, for example, can often slip under the lowest wire or fly over the tallest, making them a unique challenge. To keep chickens contained, consider constructing a secondary fence or using electric netting to supplement your primary barrier.
Guarding the Feed
While it may not seem like a significant issue if your chickens accidentally wander into your pig’s feed, there are some important considerations to keep in mind. For one thing, pigs can be quite aggressive and protective of their food, which means that if they catch your chickens stepping into their space, it could lead to disaster for the chicken. Furthermore, pigs are intelligent animals and will remember if they’re allowed access to the feed once – they’ll keep coming back for more.
Therefore, it’s essential to find a way to keep your pigs out of your chicken coop or wherever you’re feeding your chickens and collecting their eggs. This means making sure that both the feed and nesting boxes are well out of reach of your pigs. Some people have found success by placing the chicken coop just outside the fenced-in area for the pigs, with a separate electric fence inside the external perimeter.
This allows the chickens to easily move in and out of the pig pasture while keeping the pigs from accessing the chicken’s food and eggs. Another option is to invest in an automatic door for your chicken coop – these are usually small enough to keep out full-sized pigs but may not be effective against smaller pigs or piglets. You’ll also need to be mindful when entering and exiting the coop, as your pig will likely try to follow.
It’s worth noting that some people choose to eliminate chicken feed altogether when keeping them with their pigs – this is only advisable during snow-free months when chickens can get all the nutrients they need from pasture. They’ll still pick at the pig feed, so it’s not a complete loss.
Aggression
While it’s true that some people avoid keeping chickens with pigs due to concerns about aggression, the reality is that in most cases, this won’t be a problem. However, if your pigs do attack and kill one of your chickens, it’s essential to separate them immediately. Once a pig develops a taste for chicken, it will never forget it, and you can say goodbye to your flock! Most instances of aggression can be prevented by ensuring that both your pigs and chickens have ample space to roam.
Typically, a pig will only be able to catch a chicken if it can trap it in a corner and kill it, which is unlikely to happen when providing sufficient foraging space. The breed of the pig also plays a significant role in determining the likelihood of aggression. Some breeds, like Guinea Hogs, are known for their docile nature and won’t even give your chickens a second thought. Others may be more energetic and require closer monitoring around your flock.
In my experience, introducing pigs to chickens at a young age has been effective in preventing aggression. By housing them together shortly after the piglets are born, they grow up accustomed to the presence of chickens and don’t perceive them as prey. Of course, there is always a risk that the piglets may view the chickens as playmates, which can lead to chaos! Nevertheless, providing sufficient space for both breeds and keeping an eye on their interactions should prevent any issues.
Remember that a bored pig is a destructive pig, and this applies to all situations.
Disease Transfer
While it’s unlikely that diseases will be transferred between your pigs and chickens, there are some precautions to take to ensure the health and well-being of both species. For instance, avoid letting your chickens graze with pigs that have been given medication or chemical dewormers, as these can impact your chickens and their eggs. Additionally, some viruses, bacteria, and diseases can be transmitted between the two animals, although this is relatively rare.
However, it’s not unheard of for certain pathogens to jump from animals to humans. To minimize the risk of disease transfer, make sure to provide ample space for both species to roam. When given enough room, there’s no issue with keeping pigs and chickens together, as the manure load will be spread out over a larger area. However, when you start packing multiple animals into a small space, you’ll likely encounter issues with disease transmission.
Ultimately, providing plenty of space is a crucial consideration for any livestock farming operation, including pig-chicken coexistence. By keeping this in mind as you plan your new farm setup, you can help ensure the health and well-being of both your pigs and chickens.
Can You Raise Pigs and Chicken Together? Yes!
While pigs and chickens can thrive together, it’s essential to approach this arrangement with thoughtful planning. To ensure the well-being of both species, you’ll need to consider their unique needs, habits, and requirements. By doing so, you can create a harmonious and productive environment that benefits all. For further guidance on keeping your chickens healthy and preventing common pig diseases, refer to our related posts.
