Advice re adding a neutered boar to a pair of sows please

[Janey]

Okay, I’m finally taking the leap of adding a neutered boar to my sow pair. He’s recently had the op so will need to wait until his six weeks wait are over before I attempt to bond with my girls. Now, having read a lot of the guides on here, I just want to check whether I’ve understood everything!

My current setup is a Plaza 160 that my girls occupy at night and during the day I have a 1.2m floor time pen for them. I was planning to house the boy in a separate cage on the floor, next to the girls’ pen, so he’s nice and secure and no unplanned visits can occur (the cage is a 120 by 60). Does this sound okay or could it prove stressful for either party? They wouldn’t be able to sniff nose to nose because of the base of the cage, but thinking they’ll still be able to smell each other’s presence.

Does this sound alright?

 

[Janey]

Anyone?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Yes that is fine
Being side by side prior to bonding can be very useful.
It’s a shame the base is in the way of them seeing each other But you have to work with what you have got!

Does it mean they won’t be side by side during be night?

 

[Janey]

Thanks for you reply! Yes unfortunately it does - do you think that might be a problem?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thanks for you reply! Yes unfortunately it does - do you think that might be a problem?

It’s not ideal so if you could find a way then that would be best (Could you maybe extend their playpen at all and leave the girls in there?) so he has constant company through the bars, but if it is not possible then keep them as close as you possibly can - they will still have the side by side during the day

As I say, sometimes you just have to work with what you have got and an alternative isn’t always workable

 

[Janey]

It’s not ideal so if you could find a way then that would be best (Could you maybe extend their playpen at all and leave the girls in there?) so he has constant company through the bars, but if it is not possible then keep them as close as you possibly can - they will still have the side by side during the day

As I say, sometimes you just have to work with what you have got and an alternative isn’t always workable

I might be able to possibly squeeze the top part of the cage into the girls’ pen - having offered it up, it looks pretty tight to be honest, but haven’t actually tried to fit it in …

Alternatively, I could try to divide the pen up with grids and cable ties and have them all live there until it’s time to bond? Thing is , not having had a boar before, I don’t want to inadvertently make a right royal mess of things before we even get to the bonding stage!

 

[Piggies&buns]

If you were to divide the pen, don’t forget it still needs to meet size requirements - 150x60cm for the girls and 120x60cm for him

 

[Janey]

Oh that’s a new number I’ve not seen before for 2 girls. In that case the pen wouldn’t be big enough at all.