Sty

For the eye condition see stye.

A sty or pigsty is a small-scale outdoor enclosure for raising pigs. It is sometimes referred to as a pigpen or "pig parlor." Pigsties are generally fenced areas of bare dirt and/or mud. Both "sty" and "pigpen" are used as derogatory descriptions of dirty, messy areas. There are three contributing reasons that pigs, generally clean animals, create such a living environment:

• Pigs are voracious eaters and will eat all the plants in the enclosure until there is nothing left to control erosion.
• The pig is a rooting animal and will dig for food in the enclosure, further disturbing the soil.
• Pigs have no sweat glands which means that they must be provided with water or mud in which they can control their own body temperature.

A large-scale enclosure for raising pigs is generally called a hog lot. Unlike a sty which would be found on a mixed farm, a hog lot is usually a dedicated facility.