Raìsing pigs

[encorehunter]

Does anyone here raise pigs? The wife informed me we are going to look at some pigs this weekend. She is wanting two sows and a boar. I have to build a shelter and pen today which shouldn't take more than all day. I'm not worried too much about raising them, but would like any tips if available. We have 35 acres of trees and oak brush, along with 14 goats, way too many chickens, ducks, turkeys and one gourgeous ass. I am hoping to mostly pasture raise them, but the wife brings home a 5 gallon bucket of food scraps from the restaurant daily. The chickens will be mad they don't get them anymore. I have read quite a bit from google, but most is from larger farm settings, not just a few pigs.

[DFBrews]

We never Had boars growing up to dangerous when they got moody artificially inseminated them so we could control when there where going to be litters. They come into heat monthly if I remember right Also you will need farrowing crates so the moms don't crush the babies

supplement the scraps with real feed or else the meat will be soft and without the good firm fat you want

[Dave]

ColoFarmer here raises pigs, or did, and used to sell them by the half or whole hog in the TP.

[Great-Kazoo]

Green Chili on the hoof, yum.. One thing i can say is Do not get in the pen alone when the sows are in heat. If the Boar is with them.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/raising-pigs-meat-zmaz70mazglo.aspx?PageId=1

[encorehunter]

If the boar gets overzealous with me, it will be bacon within a week. I have got the plans bb's of my cold smoker and all the supplies I need to build it. I think I may try and talk her into only a couple sows or a gilt and try it out first. Thanks for the tips.

[PSS]

Just remember hogs like to root. I grew up a decent sized hog farm. We kept our sows on dirt when they didn't have a litter on them and they would turn an area into something that resembles the aftermath of a B52 carpet bombing run.

[JohnTRourke]

We did pigs. Just bought some weaners from leftover show pigs and then raised them to butcher weight. took like 4 to 5 months IIRC. (that's 40lbs to 230lbs)
We didn't try to breed them to start, I'd suggest you not either.

1. pigs are smart. They will get out if you don't build a heck of a shelter. hog panels (not cattle panels BTW), T posts every 4 feet and some people even use hot wire.
2. You can get lots of stuff (feeders, waterers, even hog huts) on craigslist, take a look,they are always on there.
3. If a pig is off it's feed (not eating) it's sick and you better figure it out.
4. pigs are strong as hell (and smart, see #1), make the pens strong.
5. pigs don't sweat, they need some way to keep cool, that's why they lounge around in mud/water. They needs LOTS of cool water.
6. don't name them. trust me on this. it's damn hard if they are named.
7. give them something to do. bowling balls work, pumpkins are hilarious. (they bat it around for a while and then all of a sudden it breaks open "hey, this is food, FOOD" and there it goes)
8. they eat everything. Find a local restaurants that has some stuff that is still good, but not good enough to sell. (bread, etc), keeps your food bill down.

bacon is good.

[MarkCO]

I raised pigs for several years and the above post is good intel.

Also, they will eat your chickens and any other small animals. I would also not start out with a boar. I fed 4 pigs about 40 pounds of restaurant scraps and about 10 pounds of grain when they were in the 200-230 pound range.

[SideShow Bob]

You and your wife need to go and visit someone that is doing this on a small scale. See what it entails and also see if you are ready and can put up with the smell. Pig farming even on a small scale stinks like you can't imagine.

[JohnTRourke]

oh yeah, put the pen downwind and near the neighbors you don't like.

they don't actually need that much space, but yeah, it does stink. they poo a lot.

[DFBrews]

Good call with not breeding right off the bat.

Bacon seeds are fragile.

And if you do have a litter you have to castrate vaccinate cut needle teeth and dock the tail so their siblings don't try and eat them. All while a pissed off 300+ lb mama pig is trying to eat your face because you are messing with her babies

[DFBrews]

Speaking of here is the half a hog I just bought off my dad getting ready to become tasty bits


65692

[TheGrey]

My Uncle raised pigs for a while. I don't remember much because I was still pretty young, but I do remember this: DO NOT TRUST A PIG.

Ever.

Pigs can be evil like you wouldn't believe. Wolves on the hoof. They will eat ANYTHING that gets in their pen. If you have beasties that are used to roaming free on acreage, I'd put the pig's pen inside a second pen to keep everything else out.

Pigs are delicious. Dangerous, but it sounds like there's lots of good advice on this thread.

[Great-Kazoo]

If the boar gets overzealous with me, it will be bacon within a week. I have got the plans bb's of my cold smoker and all the supplies I need to build it. I think I may try and talk her into only a couple sows or a gilt and try it out first. Thanks for the tips.

I consider them domesticated hippos. They look harmless & cute, till they move on you.
Looking forward to your updates of the upcoming project.

[encorehunter]

I'm all ready behind the 8 ball. I poured concrete for the porch yesterday instead of building the pig pens. I guess we will be putting the cart before the horse and get the piglets tomorrow, unless I am lucky enough that they will be gone before we get there. I have all the materials at the house, so it can be built on Sunday. Thank you for all the tips. I'll probably be putting them down near the pond away from the house. My wife works at a restaurant, so that will help with the feed. I have about 80 pounds of bacon in thr freezer, so I should be able to make it until they are ready to be butchered.

[Holger Danske]

If your goats are milkers, you can feed the pigs goats milk. They love it and will help them bulk up. That what you he kids do with their 4h hogs.

[encorehunter]

I thought I would revisit this thread. I was working a wildland fire the other day. When I got home from a 10 hour day, the wife told me I needed to build a shed and building. She had bought two pigs while I was on the fire, and we were picking them up the next day. I got the shed and pen built the next morning. We ended up with two female piglets around 50 pounds each. When I mentioned raton them, I was informed they were for breeding. I can get my own pig. I bought a 140 pound sow to butcher this fall. So far so good. We have been feeding them corn and table scraps with good success. They are all "Old spot" pigs. Im going to try and borrow a boar, or else buy one next year for his services and then eat him.

[Irving]

Pictures?

[Great-Kazoo]

Pictures?

https://tse3.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.M2ff66c305b12521534bcf148ddd50b8eH0&pid=15.1&P=0&w=256&h=161

Family Portrait

https://tse3.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.M7c9bec6702b78ef025fbe41d646fd302H0&pid=15.1&P=0&w=228&h=152

[encorehunter]

That is what I am hoping one looks like later this fall. For now, here are the two little ones. I don't have any pics of the large one.
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[Irving]

Heh.

[TheGrey]

Best of luck to you, encorehunter! May they grow stout and strong and make excellent mothers. Keep us apprised of their progress, will you? I'm interested, and must farm vicariously through others. :)

[TFOGGER]

http://www.demotivation.us/media/demotivators/demotivation.us_I-turn-vegetables-into-bacon-Whats-your-super-power_140429038236.jpg

[Dave]

If you or someone near you home brew, the spent grains make good pig feed as well.

[encorehunter]

Digging up an old thread.

We slaughtered one pig and ate her, then the last year we slaughtered the other two. Holy bacon side and pork chop. I learned you only want to feed out the pigs for a year, not two. When we took the second two in, hanging weight after dressing was around 800 pounds. We filled 3 freezers and sold half a pig to help cover processing costs. I believe we ended up with over 600 pounds of meat. I had them cure the bacon this time, and it was delicious.
We have no pigs right now, but I think we will get another one or two and just feed out for a year. My wife still bring home food from the restaurant and the chickens eat it, but they dont taste as good as the bacon.