"hawg" is redneck for hog = pig = swine = Schwein and "pen" is a smallish fenced-in piece of land = pigpen = pigsty = Schweinestall = Saustall = according to Langenscheidt, where these animals are kept.

I have always thought that a Schweinestall or Saustall had a roof but maybe I am wrong. In any case, a pigpen is open but usually connected to a roofed shed.

For your context that doesn't matter because your usage is figurative, not technical so "Saustall" or "Schweinestall" will do just fine. It just means that the place in your text is so terrible that somebody is not tough enough to make a go of it there.

- HTH - Dan