Wee Wee Wee All the Way Home: Pigs 2010

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Wee Wee Wee All the Way Home: Pigs 2010 (Page 1 of 6)

Posted: 5/16/2010 3:00:53 PM EDT

Pigs are back on the Feral homestead.

It was hard finding feeder pigs this year....seems a lot of the pig growers in the county have gotten out of the business of late. I'd have preferred Durocs, but settled for these Yorkshire-Hampshire crosses. Time is marching forward––-five months from now puts us at October already. That'll give me some buffer against freezing weather as I've resolved that these guys aren't going on the long walk until they're damn good and fat. Last years pigs were tasty but I wasn't happy with the thickness of the bellies. What's the point of raising your own if you don't have an impressive piece of bacon at the end?

Several new things for us this year. Dumped the electric fence.....we'll see how that goes. Also plan to feed a processed feed like Bozeman has in the past––damned spendy stuff at $12 per 50 lbs though. Made a feeding/watering platform for them out of some 2' hardwood boards.....got tired of seeing the pigs hock deep in the mud while at the feeder. Also added a two-hole feeder. The last pigs weren't kind on the one-hole feeder I was using....they pretty much tore it up.

These are cute little guys for sure. Mrs. Feral said "Awww, they all look like Wilbur" and Mrs. Feral isn't sentimental about pigs. One nice thing about them is that they won't be so cute in five months or so.

Enjoy.

Posted: 5/16/2010 3:33:50 PM EDT

[#1]

They look great. Doing five this year I see. I have been looking forward to this thread.

Posted: 5/16/2010 5:22:21 PM EDT

[#2]

Posted: 5/16/2010 6:39:26 PM EDT

[#3]

I know a lot of folks around here have been complaining about price AND availability this year.
All the 4H kids want them in spring for the county fairs, so causes a price hike.

Heard of folks paying over $100 a pop!

When I bought my last ones last fall, some were going for $10-20!

Being a contrarian FINALLY paid off!

Posted: 5/16/2010 6:59:43 PM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
I know a lot of folks around here have been complaining about price AND availability this year.
All the 4H kids want them in spring for the county fairs, so causes a price hike.

Heard of folks paying over $100 a pop!

When I bought my last ones last fall, some were going for $10-20!

Being a contrarian FINALLY paid off!

I paid $50 a head on these. Thought it was salty, but apparently feeders are going for $3 a pound down in the Lancaster auction so I don't feel too bad about it. Last year I paid $70 a head but they were bigger so the price probably is about the same.

Makes me want a sow.....but that's a whole bunch more complexity.

Posted: 5/16/2010 7:18:22 PM EDT

[#5]

Tag for a tasty outcome.

Your wife is right though –– they ARE cute...

I'm also hoping to see some of the trademark Feral canning threads this year, and perhaps doing a canning thread or two myself.

It depends on how things go. Life has gotten pretty busy lately.

Posted: 5/16/2010 8:11:22 PM EDT

[#6]

Out of curiosity how many 50pound bags would you say. It takes to feed one pig a month.

Posted: 5/16/2010 8:49:02 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Out of curiosity how many 50pound bags would you say. It takes to feed one pig a month.

Depends on how big the pig is.

The feed I'm using suggests 2 lbs feed/day for pigs 30-50 lbs, 4.5 lbs/day for 50-125 pounds and 7.5 lbs/day for 125 lbs to market weight. How that stacks up in the real world remains to be seen.

Posted: 5/16/2010 10:12:51 PM EDT

[#8]

This should be another awesome pig thread, looking forward to it sir.

Posted: 5/16/2010 10:29:03 PM EDT

[#9]

My wife wants to do a couple pigs. We already have chickens so I don't mind the concept too much. SHe wants to set it up in a manner where the penned area can eventually be planted with vegetables. Like a 4 square area fenced off and rotate the area where we plant and raise pigs and broilers from year to year.

Seems like a plan, I just gotta clear an area..

Posted: 5/16/2010 11:38:14 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
My wife wants to do a couple pigs. We already have chickens so I don't mind the concept too much. SHe wants to set it up in a manner where the penned area can eventually be planted with vegetables. Like a 4 square area fenced off and rotate the area where we plant and raise pigs and broilers from year to year.

Seems like a plan, I just gotta clear an area..

Clear the fence row, put the pigs in it and let them clear it for you, then rotate them out.

Posted: 5/17/2010 1:41:52 AM EDT

[#11]

i really enjoyed last year's thread, and look forward to this one. weekly updates forsure :) i take it you are using the same area as you did last year?

Posted: 5/17/2010 12:11:33 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
i really enjoyed last year's thread, and look forward to this one. weekly updates forsure :) i take it you are using the same area as you did last year?

Yep, I left the pen in the same place. Reseeded it with some rye grass but otherwise it's the same. I may move it after this bunch of pigs is finished.

As for using pigs to clear a space for a garden, I say thumbs up on that. We're using a space that had hogs on it a s a garden patch. It's amazing how many rocks those pigs turned up.....and they certainly enriched the soil.

Posted: 5/17/2010 5:44:01 PM EDT

[#13]

Scribed. The F&G section was severely lacking in Feral posts.

Posted: 5/17/2010 7:23:19 PM EDT

[#14]

BACON.........

I love these threads....

Posted: 5/17/2010 10:26:14 PM EDT

[#15]

God I love pork !

That seems like a steep price for feeders even when fat hogs are 65/100 but the end result will be well worth it. You just cant compare hogs raised outside to ones raised in confinement.
Same as eating a tomato out of my garden as to one from Walmart

I look forward to your updates and dinner pic's

Posted: 5/17/2010 11:19:06 PM EDT

[#16]

Good looking shoats.

Posted: 5/18/2010 12:31:55 AM EDT

[#17]

Tag for tasty ending.

Posted: 5/18/2010 12:36:04 AM EDT

[#18]

how do you like that type of waterer? i was looking at those the other day when i had to replace one of mine. i am currently using the nipple types; 2 of them on a 55 poly barrel. durn fools ripped one of them out of the barrel and i couldnt find it. after i went and bought a new one, (come 2 to a pack actually) i found the old one in the pen.

nice lookin feeder too. i had one of those, but it was a 4 hitter, 2 on each side. once it got low on feed, they tipped it over. now i just keep it outside the pen and keep the bags of feed in it. and pour them out buckets each day. i am pouring out 4 coffee cans a day for 2 piggies. going through 50#s about 4 days i guess. hard to tell now since when i go to feed, i have to dump some out for the goats, the chickens, and the dog. everything thinks they are pigs. lol

not sure if you know about it, but you might call the local bakery and see if they sell pig feed. its all the out of date stuff and they sell it by the rack.

i need to get some pics of my piggly wigglys; they look almost like yours. little older though.

Posted: 5/18/2010 1:31:47 AM EDT

[#19]

Yummy

Also Feral - I need to job shadow you for a year then buy my own chunk o land

Posted: 5/18/2010 6:50:30 AM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
how do you like that type of waterer? i was looking at those the other day when i had to replace one of mine. i am currently using the nipple types; 2 of them on a 55 poly barrel. durn fools ripped one of them out of the barrel and i couldnt find it. after i went and bought a new one, (come 2 to a pack actually) i found the old one in the pen.

nice lookin feeder too. i had one of those, but it was a 4 hitter, 2 on each side. once it got low on feed, they tipped it over. now i just keep it outside the pen and keep the bags of feed in it. and pour them out buckets each day. i am pouring out 4 coffee cans a day for 2 piggies. going through 50#s about 4 days i guess. hard to tell now since when i go to feed, i have to dump some out for the goats, the chickens, and the dog. everything thinks they are pigs. lol

not sure if you know about it, but you might call the local bakery and see if they sell pig feed. its all the out of date stuff and they sell it by the rack.

The drinker works pretty well. Nipples are probably cheaper though––I wouldn't mind trying them at some point. I was going to hook this bowl drinker up to an IBC tote but ran out of time. Finally just fixed the barrel one in the pic.

I did two seasons with a one-hole Brower feeder but it looks really rough at this point. I'm hoping they don't tear this one up as quick. I spray the bottom portion with rubberized undercoating out of a spray can. I don't know if it makes them last longer or not but some people think it does. Now that I have the feeder up off the dirt it probably matters a whole lot less.

Last year we fed a lot of squash and overripe fruit. I'm not sure doing that did anything but slow down their rate of gain. Bread products would be better I think.

Posted: 5/18/2010 6:51:39 AM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:

Also Feral - I need to job shadow you for a year then buy my own chunk o land

Come on by––there's always plenty of work to do.

Posted: 5/18/2010 10:35:45 AM EDT

[#22]

i see BACON

Posted: 5/18/2010 12:48:12 PM EDT

[#23]

oink

Posted: 5/18/2010 12:48:41 PM EDT

[#24]

Thanks, Feral, for another of your trademark threads!

It looks like you are off to a BIG start! FIVE pigs this time. NO electric fence. New equipment. More expensive feed. Are you TRYING to tempt fate?

I predict those pigs ARE going to get out and only my lack of suitable prizes prevents me from starting a pool.

I don't mean to criticize but I remember how easily things could have gotten out of hand the last time your pigs got out. Don't you remember how your previous pigs tested everything? They'll go around and use their snout to lift that fence a little here, a little there, and eventually will jack a post out of the ground. And I'm concerned that they'll rub your water fountain right off of the barrel- it needs to be SOLIDLY attached. Hint: whatever thickness the metal of the barrel is, it IS NOT solid enough. Even if the fountain was welded to the barrel, they'd probably break it off eventually.

Quoted:
not sure if you know about it, but you might call the local bakery and see if they sell pig feed. its all the out of date stuff and they sell it by the rack.

Quoted:
Bread products would be better I think.

Years ago, my Grandfather obtained bakery goods for livestock feed. He would usually get a pickup load each week and purchased it by the pound. It takes a lot more time because you have to open each bag and also make sure there are no tie wires or plastic mixed in. It was good feed and the stock really liked it, especially stuff like raisin bread or honeybuns. It was fun maybe the first time or two you got to help but it quickly became a chore to unwrap a whole pickup load.

I wouldn't plan to feed bakery products as the primary ration, though. Grandpa fed his hogs exclusively on bread and supplemented it with a bucket of corn chops each day for the last month or six weeks. If you've ever seen pictures of prize hogs from the early 1900's that are rolling in fat, you'd understand what his hogs looked like. If you were after maximum lard production, this would be the way you'd want to do it. Unfortunately, the meat produced was soft with a mushy texture. It had a nasty smell, too, and would not be considered edible these days.

Posted: 5/18/2010 12:51:03 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
Thanks, Feral, for another of your trademark threads!

It looks like you are off to a BIG start! FIVE pigs this time. NO electric fence. New equipment. More expensive feed. Are you TRYING to tempt fate?

I predict those pigs ARE going to get out and only my lack of suitable prizes prevents me from starting a pool.

I would not bet against Skunkum in this, but I would play in the pool.

Not a question of if, but WHEN.

Posted: 5/18/2010 1:44:31 PM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Thanks, Feral, for another of your trademark threads!

It looks like you are off to a BIG start! FIVE pigs this time. NO electric fence. New equipment. More expensive feed. Are you TRYING to tempt fate?

I predict those pigs ARE going to get out and only my lack of suitable prizes prevents me from starting a pool.

I would not bet against Skunkum in this, but I would play in the pool.

Not a question of if, but WHEN.

Man, the two of you are just the nattering nabobs of negativism today.

So.........if somebody does a pool, can I play too?

Posted: 5/18/2010 2:45:34 PM EDT

[#27]

Well, maybe you'll be lucky this time.

I remember one litter of our pigs that WOULD NOT stay in any pen. I'd go to school and when I'd get home Mom would meet me at the door, telling me to go get those pigs out of the neighbor's garden. FORTUNATELY the garden had not been planted yet so all they were doing was rooting around a little. If the garden had been producing, I'd probably still be working off the damages.

I guess that bunch of pigs got lazy as they got older. After only 3-4 trips to the neighbor's, they got tired of making the walk and took up sleeping on the back porch and steps of our house. Picture in your mind the stereotype of hound dogs on a porch. Now change the dogs to hogs. Mom was not happy. She was almost as mad about that as she was when she found her bathtub was full of piglets early one morning (the pigs were born on a very cold night several hours after my parents had gone to bed). When it was time to take them to the butcher, we backed the trailer up to the door of the enclosed back porch and herded them right in. Yes, they could/did open the door to get on the porch. Classic Arkansas.

I guess I can't blame the pigs. It was genetic (it COULDN'T have been MY fault). They were the first litter from the gilt I won from our FFA's gilt chain, where they give you the pig, you raise it, and they get the pick of the litter to give to the next winner, etc. Our advisor inspected and approved my "facility", a tin shed with a board fence around it, and we put the pig in it. I poured food into the trough and went to get some water, a walk of maybe 40 yards. Having filled the bucket, I turned around just in time to see the pig exiting our farm. She had climbed out of her pen and had gone through four woven wire fences just that quickly. Those fences had held hogs in the past and held many more afterwards but she just put her head down and dozed right through them. That was only the first of her three escapes that first day.

Posted: 5/18/2010 7:36:13 PM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:
Well, maybe you'll be lucky this time.

[sigh] You may be right.[/sigh]

I know pigs are escape artists.....and I know that if you give them the slightest opportunity they'll take it.

Got any thoughts on enrichment strategies to keep them happy in their pen? I'm bedding them on straw so that'll get old quick for them. Inflatable balls keep them happy for a few days but that's about it.

Posted: 5/18/2010 7:54:39 PM EDT

[#29]

Scratching posts would be one idea. You could set a wooden fence post for them to rub on. If you could wrap it with burlap or old rags and soak them with oil (used motor oil works), it'll help. I've heard that old bowling balls are fun for them. Got any old tires around? Even an old stump would work. I don't remember ever really trying to come up with entertainment for them.

Of course, a real mud puddle would be almost ideal. They do love the mud!

Posted: 5/18/2010 9:11:31 PM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:
Scratching posts would be one idea. You could set a wooden fence post for them to rub on. If you could wrap it with burlap or old rags and soak them with oil (used motor oil works), it'll help. I've heard that old bowling balls are fun for them. Got any old tires around? Even an old stump would work. I don't remember ever really trying to come up with entertainment for them.

Of course, a real mud puddle would be almost ideal. They do love the mud!

A mud puddle is easy to create.

However, I think it is probably boredom that makes them get out.

The thing is that if they never LEARN how to get out, they never get out. Once they learn they can put their nose under anything and plow right through it, it's over.

That's the thing with a pig. It's the strongest animal on the farm once it gets size, and if it gets its head in anything, it will go straight through. No stopping it.

Unless....Ve use...de EEEEElecTRICITY!!!!!

Posted: 5/18/2010 10:19:47 PM EDT

[#31]

I've heard that the racing pigs at the fairs are rewarded by giving them Oreo cookies. Perhaps young Master Feral could work a training routine into his schedule. He could wear a top hat and hold a Hula Hoop for them to jump through, then it'd be on to the pig rolling a ball across the pen by walking on it and various other circus tricks. Google says you can get them to do tricks like shaking hands and blowing horns for raisins.

Posted: 5/19/2010 12:05:08 AM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:
I've heard that the racing pigs at the fairs are rewarded by giving them Oreo cookies. Perhaps young Master Feral could work a training routine into his schedule. He could wear a top hat and hold a Hula Hoop for them to jump through, then it'd be on to the pig rolling a ball across the pen by walking on it and various other circus tricks. Google says you can get them to do tricks like shaking hands and blowing horns for raisins.

Hey, that could be a whole other income source. Feral could sell tickets!

Feral, why'd you decide to lose the hotwire?

kitties

Posted: 5/19/2010 12:28:43 AM EDT

[#33]

Quoted:
Hey, that could be a whole other income source. Feral could sell tickets!

And little Miss Feral could sell lemonade!

Posted: 5/19/2010 8:19:38 AM EDT

[#34]

Quoted:
Feral, why'd you decide to lose the hotwire?

Mostly just to see how it would go.

Bozeman keeps his pigs sans electric and I know a local guy who keeps a couple with just hog panels.

Feral Jr. wants to set up a diving board and wading pool so we can have diving pigs. There was some talk about Hoops of Fire too.....

Posted: 5/19/2010 9:06:49 AM EDT

[#35]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Feral, why'd you decide to lose the hotwire?

Mostly just to see how it would go.

Bozeman keeps his pigs sans electric and I know a local guy who keeps a couple with just hog panels.

Feral Jr. wants to set up a diving board and wading pool so we can have diving pigs. There was some talk about Hoops of Fire too.....

Very very rare pork?

Posted: 5/19/2010 9:16:26 AM EDT

[#36]

Posted: 5/19/2010 1:29:26 PM EDT

[#37]

Nice!
I'm looking forward to the 2010 pig thread and I plan to raise them vicariously through you.
I thought it strange that you went without electricity this year.

Posted: 5/19/2010 11:13:38 PM EDT

[#38]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Feral, why'd you decide to lose the hotwire?

Mostly just to see how it would go.

Sucka......

I like the hoops of fire idea. Nobody gets bored with real challenge......

....probably not even a pig.

Of course, it could be that they get out because they're just ornery like that.

Posted: 5/22/2010 6:22:33 PM EDT

[#39]

This is definitely a tag.

Posted: 5/22/2010 9:05:39 PM EDT

[#40]

well, we aren't doing any til the fall (too damn expensive this time of year, plus it's our busy season, so not enough time)

But

all we use is hog panels, 6' T post pounded down every 8' and corners and wired to the panels.

Worked 3 years (4 groups) so far.

Tie that feeder off to the fence (use wire, they just chew thru tie downs, ask me how I know this?) so they can't move it around.
when it's full it weighs a lot too, so that helps.
We put a extension (just that plastic roofing stuff) on the top,s o when it rains it doesn't get the food as wet (doesn't really keep it dry, but it helps)

pigs love bread, but it doesn't have enough protein. think of it as a supplement. Same with squash.

Nice blue butts (that's what they are called), that's what we seem to end up with each year. They get good and long (lots of bacon and chops), but they do sunburn. You'll have to put up some kind of sunshade. (a couple times I'm sure after they tear it down)

pigs are just too damn smart for their own good.

Posted: 5/23/2010 1:37:47 AM EDT

[#41]

pigs, smart? LOL

mine are just downright dumb. man them suckers, i tell ya. so i had the new nipple waterers going again after they tore one up. went good for a few days. well, today they had rooted under the old plywood i had the barrel on and dumped the whole 55 gallons out. and they tore another nipple off and i couldnt find it. i need to find one of those square totes (225? gallons) and set that outside the pen and put the nipples on it. maybe even just one nipple.

yeah the bread and donuts is just a supplement. but for $10 a truck load, it aint bad. they sure do like some powdered donettes. lol shouldnt give them any since they are being bad.

i didnt know those were called blue butts. thats what we have too. and yep, they sure do start to sizzle in the summer sun. i have tried to build a shade, but they just tear it up. i have a top, but they tear down the west side wall i tried to put up. oh well, they get to burn. same way with the water. i fill up 2 tubs until i can fix the barrel. what do they do? just turn them over. i swear!

but for the fence, we do the same thing. just panels and t posts. seems to hold pretty good. i have noticed though, they are starting to root down under the panels in places.

Posted: 5/23/2010 10:45:27 AM EDT

[#42]

we've added dirt a few times. as they root down and create a big lake, I just go get a loader scoop full of dirt and dump it right in the middle.
they go right thru it and it fills in any gaps around the fence.

Yep, seems to me they are smart.

who's doing the work?

(hint, it aint' the pigs)

Posted: 5/23/2010 1:47:37 PM EDT

[#43]

Quoted:
we've added dirt a few times. as they root down and create a big lake, I just go get a loader scoop full of dirt and dump it right in the middle.
they go right thru it and it fills in any gaps around the fence.

Yep, seems to me they are smart.

who's doing the work?

(hint, it aint' the pigs)

Pigs are incredibly smart. Scary smart. Part of why they scare me. They KNOW what they're doing. They DECIDE to let me live if I'm in the pen with them. And they could always change their minds.

I agree with Bozeman. Tearing up stuff doesn't mean they're dumb. It means they're bored.

Pigs have been proven to be thesecond-or-third-most most intelligent animal studied thus far (following chimps, I think? And maybe the larger birds? I can't rememer the list now, just how impressively high pigs were ON that list).

ETA: Bozeman, there's a guy in a thread called "I think I messed up" who might could use your advice on his garden if you haven't been over there yet. He's in MT as well.

Posted: 5/24/2010 10:33:39 AM EDT

[#44]

i think we need weekly picture updates :)

Posted: 5/24/2010 10:09:58 PM EDT

[#45]

Im raising pigs vicariously through you as well....

Man I want some good pork for the pan... :sigh:

Love your threads BTW,

-V

Posted: 5/25/2010 6:56:25 AM EDT

[#46]

Quoted:
Tie that feeder off to the fence (use wire, they just chew thru tie downs, ask me how I know this?) so they can't move it around.
when it's full it weighs a lot too, so that helps.
We put a extension (just that plastic roofing stuff) on the top,s o when it rains it doesn't get the food as wet (doesn't really keep it dry, but it helps)

pigs love bread, but it doesn't have enough protein. think of it as a supplement. Same with squash.

Nice blue butts (that's what they are called), that's what we seem to end up with each year. They get good and long (lots of bacon and chops), but they do sunburn. You'll have to put up some kind of sunshade. (a couple times I'm sure after they tear it down)

Yep, good advice on the feeder. That tie down was always intended as a temporary thing while the pigs are small. I have to make sure that bit of work doesn't become a meant-to-do.

These are indeed blue butts. For those interested, the blue butt results, as I understand it, when you cross a white pig with any colored breed. These particular pigs are the most common cross: Hampshire X Yorkshire. But you could get a blue butt in other way too, such as Duroc X Yorkshire or Landrace X Hampshire.

I'll have to ponder the sunshade a bit.....I'd like to put one up, but I'll have to figure out how to go about it.

Mrs. Feral is going later this week to pick up a few free bowling balls. Hopefully the pigs like them.

Tomorrow we sell the gilt which will leave us with four barrows. Pig prices are up here......feeders are going from $2.50-$3.00 a pound which, IMO, is top dollar. We're selling the gilt to a friend who wants to feed one out. I personally would never feed a single hog by choice, but that's just me.

Posted: 5/25/2010 6:49:13 PM EDT

[#47]

that pig is going to be lonely and dammed bored.
She shouldn't get just one.
She should get at least 2.

Posted: 5/26/2010 12:11:42 AM EDT

[#48]

Quoted:
that pig is going to be lonely and dammed bored.
She shouldn't get just one.
She should get at least 2.

I agree. Buy half a pig, or buy two.

Of course, you are not in control of your friend and if she wants to try feeding out one pig, well.....what can you do?

Posted: 5/26/2010 6:31:58 AM EDT

[#49]

Quoted:

Quoted:
that pig is going to be lonely and dammed bored.
She shouldn't get just one.
She should get at least 2.

I agree. Buy half a pig, or buy two.

Of course, you are not in control of your friend and if she wants to try feeding out one pig, well.....what can you do?

Well........I guess I could refuse to sell her one pig. It crossed my mind.

Doing so would cause some friction though.....so I'll sell the pig and just tell them their pig is likely to be unhappy. Perhaps they'll elect to get another one though it won't be from me as I want to keep the four.

Posted: 5/30/2010 2:40:08 PM EDT

[#50]

How much water will five pigs consume in a day?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Wee Wee Wee All the Way Home: Pigs 2010 (Page 1 of 6)

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