Pig Building Plans
Hi Drake,
I attended your seminar in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines and a good friend of Tita Pam. We have been practicing KNF for our fatteners for a few years. We are now looking at setting up KNF for our Sows' farrowing pens and piglet nursery. I was interested in your Pig Building plans and feeding programs. Hope all is well with you and hear from you soon.
Thanks,
Perry Coseteng
Top answer
Here is a link to the University of Hawaii Plans for a Deep Litter Pig Pen.
From the KNF library
From the KNF library
Drafted by Claude from Office Hours and the books
·
Sep 2026
·
8 sources
The library covers farrowing pens and sow feed. It says nothing about nursery pens for weaned piglets or a full feeding program.
Drake's building drawings and a cost breakdown are on the Hawaii natural farming site, along with the University of Hawaii guide. (Office Hours Ep. 50, 41:57)
- Farrowing pen size: Drake's are 12 by 14 feet. A pen too small lets the sow crush piglets. (Office Hours Ep. 80, 1:01:00)
- No crates. The pen is big enough that a crate isn't needed. (Office Hours Ep. 80, 57:22)
- No heater. The composting floor generates the heat. (Office Hours Ep. 80, 56:44)
- Airflow: Drake's barn is a Conway greenhouse with a split roof that vents air off the top. (Office Hours Ep. 42, 41:12)
Feed: about half of Drake's pig diet is banana stalk. (Office Hours Ep. 80, 53:55) Cho writes that sows in the first 42 to 45 days of lactation get good juicy fodder. (Cho, Theory, p. 172) He adds that sows fed roughage and green grass grow lean and muscular. (Cho, Theory, p. 169)
Sources
- 41:57 Office Hours Ep. 50 (Oct 2022) — IMO Bath, Hemp Hurd for IMO3, Transplanting with WCA · “naturalfarminghawaii.net, under Livestock then Pigs, has the building drawings, a cost breakdown, and the University of Hawaii guide.”
- 41:12 Office Hours Ep. 42 (Aug 2022) — Nematodes, NPK Cycling, IMO Microscopy, Soldier Fly Larvae · “Drake's own barn is a Conway greenhouse with a split roof that vents air off the top”
- 1:01:00 Office Hours Ep. 80 (Jun 2023) — No-Smell Pig Floor, Farrowing Pen, Banana Stalk Feed · “Drake's are 12 by 14 feet; too small an area and the sow will crush the baby piglets.”
- 57:22 Office Hours Ep. 80 (Jun 2023) — No-Smell Pig Floor, Farrowing Pen, Banana Stalk Feed · “The pen is big enough that sows won't crush their piglets, so a crate isn't needed”
- 56:44 Office Hours Ep. 80 (Jun 2023) — No-Smell Pig Floor, Farrowing Pen, Banana Stalk Feed · “the composting floor itself generates heat to keep pigs warm”
- 53:55 Office Hours Ep. 80 (Jun 2023) — No-Smell Pig Floor, Farrowing Pen, Banana Stalk Feed · “About half their diet is banana stalk instead of small grasses, and the pigs love it.”
- p. 169 Cho, Theory · “they can develop into well balanced and lean, muscular pigs with extremely energetic character if they are fed a sufficient supply of roughage and green grass”
- p. 172 Cho, Theory · “During the first forty-two to forty-five days of their lactation period mother pigs in an organic breeding farm are fed good juicy fodder”
