C&C Started my 1st C&C - ?s re: Coro height, fleece, and wood pellets!

[emcronc]

I built my grids yesterday, but keep going back and forth between a 2x3 and 2x4. I have two sows (still babies now). The 2x3 works better in the space I have, but a 2x4 would work, too. Should I just go for big? I was thinking I could start 2x3 and then expand when the pigs are bigger and need more room, but in a way I think I might as well just get it right the first time and not have to make a new base in the future. And with the 2x3 built now, it just seems like it's going to be full once I put in some of the new stuff I bought (tunnels, cozy, etc.).

I'm going to pick up the coro today. Pretty sure the size sheet I can get at Home Depot will only allow for 4 inch (or maybe 4.5 inch?) sides for a 2x4. Is that high enough to keep everything contained or do the sides need to be 6 inches? I'm planning to use wood pellets and fleece (or I might do what bpatters has mentioned and just use fleece for the first week and then only the pellets). Are 4 inch sides high enough for that bedding plan?

I'm also considering adding a patio - is it really worth it, though?

By the way, can anyone tell me how to "mention" another user in a post? I tried to do that with the bpatters mention, but have no idea how to do it properly!

 

[Piggly12]

Hi and welcome!

I personally think you should go with a 2x4, this means you won’t need to change the layout later on, though if you are like a lot of the people on this site, you will be editing the layout every few months lol! They will love the tunnels and cozies, jus make sure to put them in the middle so that they can run and popcorn around the edge. They will probably also enjoy charging through the tunnels at top speed.

I’m not sure about the height of the coro, as I just use fleece and towels as bedding. If the pellets are to be covered by fleece, the sides should be high enough, but I have no experience in the wood pellets bedding.

I have a loft, which is a bit different from a patio, but it is helpful for keeping the hay from going everywhere, and it gives the pigs somewhere to get away from each other if they need to. Also it gives them a reason to run, as they need to go up the ramp to get their food.

By mention, do you mean putting someone’s name in, as in @emcronc or do you mean putting it in the big blue bubble?

By the way, can anyone tell me how to "mention" another user in a post?

(hope that worked) :0

 

[Piggly12]

Yay it worked. You press Go Advanced, down to the bottom right of the typing box, and press the icon with the text bubble just to the left of the hash tag (#).
appears. Then you scroll down to the bottom of the page, and highlight then copy the text you want to quote. Then, paste it in between the 2 Quote boxes, and it should appear as a blue bubble.

 

[emcronc]

I actually just meant putting someone's name in, like you did mine. Thanks for the helpful feedback on the cage, too!

 

[Piggly12]

You’re welcome!

To put someone’s name in, you just type @ and then their name, no spaces or anything.

 

[jrv4babies]

Even if your core sides aren't that tall, you do know to "baby proof" with some other type of barrier for 12" tall so they don't stick their heads in the squares until they are older (8 mos?)

 

[aqh88]

If you cover wood pellets 4" would probably work. If you have just wood pellets they tend to get thrown a bit when the pigs run and they will steadily get higher as they breakdown in to sawdust.

If you have a lot of items you can just rotate them so they get to enjoy them all but still have space. It will make the cage more interesting without squishing them in.

 

[emcronc]

Even if your core sides aren't that tall, you do know to "baby proof" with some other type of barrier for 12" tall so they don't stick their heads in the squares until they are older (8 mos?)

No! I didn't know that. How do I do that?

 

[bpatters]

Stick coroplast or cardboard along the sides so they can't get their heads through the holes.