Our wonderful new Pig Barn was built in spring 2022, and provides a home for our rescued pigs here at the sanctuary. It’s a spacious yet cosy area, filled with the sounds of happy oinks, rustling hay and peaceful snores.
The Pig Barn is located next to our Pig Woodland, in a tranquil part of our sanctuary, a short walk from our main yard. Filled with cosy straw, the barn is a place for our rescued pigs to relax with their friends and practise natural behaviours such as rooting and nest-building (more on this below)!
The barn includes spacious enclosures undercover, a hard-standing outdoor area, and a specific area for animals that may need to be brought in or separated from others temporarily due to illness. It is also divided into individual sections, which house our various pig groups. These sections can be moved to make introducing new pigs or combining groups a lot easier.
Watch our rescued pigs explore their new barn for the first time…
After the successful completion of our woodland, the next project on our list was a neighbouring pig barn and in December 2020 we were delighted to have planning permission approved!
The barn also performs the following important functions:
Yes, you read that right…pigs really do build nests! Many pigs will gather materials such as straw, grass or leaves and carry them back to their sleeping area in order to build a cosy bed. This is sometimes carried out by sows (female pigs) who are about to give birth, but we have spotted boars (male pigs) and piglets carrying out this fascinating activity too.
Rooting is a natural behaviour where a pig uses their snout to nudge or push into something repeatedly. Pigs root in different ways for a variety of reasons such as to search for food, to communicate, cool off and sometimes simply for comfort. When you visit our Pig Barn, look out for our pigs using their snouts to search in the straw for treats!
Although our Pig Barn has been built, there’s still the daily care of our rescued pigs, which includes feed, vet’s bills and enrichment. All donations great or small are hugely appreciated.
Adopting one of our residents is a great way to help rescued animals while treating yourself or a loved one to something really special!
Love pigs? Learn all about them by following the links below…
Goodheart Farm Animal Sanctuary, The Nickless, Milson, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY14 0BE
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Reg Charity No. 1162923
