[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Pigs 2011 (Page 2 of 4)
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I had bad luck trying to kill a domestic pig with a .22. I was using a pistol, so perhaps velocity played a role, but the bullets just would not penetrate the skull adequately. I ended up using a .30 carbine to finish the job. One and done. You did something wrong. Even a lowly 22LR Short will go through-and-through a hog's skull. Front entry, rear exit. Good chance you were missing the brain pocket, it's not *that* big of a target after all. TRG Where's the brain pocket on a pig? I tried all over, behind the ear, between the eyes, you name it. When it was time to reload I decided to use a bigger gun. 
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I had bad luck trying to kill a domestic pig with a .22. I was using a pistol, so perhaps velocity played a role, but the bullets just would not penetrate the skull adequately. I ended up using a .30 carbine to finish the job. One and done. You did something wrong. Even a lowly 22LR Short will go through-and-through a hog's skull. Front entry, rear exit. Good chance you were missing the brain pocket, it's not *that* big of a target after all. TRG Where's the brain pocket on a pig? I tried all over, behind the ear, between the eyes, you name it. When it was time to reload I decided to use a bigger gun. The thought of that makes me ill. Sucks that you had to go through that. I can't stand the idea of not giving my animals the courtesy of a quick clean death. |
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I had bad luck trying to kill a domestic pig with a .22. I was using a pistol, so perhaps velocity played a role, but the bullets just would not penetrate the skull adequately. I ended up using a .30 carbine to finish the job. One and done. You did something wrong. Even a lowly 22LR Short will go through-and-through a hog's skull. Front entry, rear exit. Good chance you were missing the brain pocket, it's not *that* big of a target after all. TRG Where's the brain pocket on a pig? I tried all over, behind the ear, between the eyes, you name it. When it was time to reload I decided to use a bigger gun. The thought of that makes me ill. Sucks that you had to go through that. I can't stand the idea of not giving my animals the courtesy of a quick clean death. Yeah, I was pretty disappointed. 
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Well with all my wheeling and dealing I am left with 10 pigs and an average cost of $3 per. 
I believe I have a mix of 5 and 5 (Little suckers won't stand still for the count.) I think I am going to save at least 3 of the gilts to keep for breeding sows and cut maybe 4 of the boars for butcher. So I have 3-4 left to sell. The farmer I was getting them from who (I bought out) has one more sow to farrow and will be ready in around 4 weeks. The demand I would believe will be dropping off by then. I am going to try and be ready with BBQ hogs for this time of year next year. The demand around here right now is crazy. |
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Well with all my wheeling and dealing I am left with 10 pigs and an average cost of $3 per.
I believe I have a mix of 5 and 5 (Little suckers won't stand still for the count.) I think I am going to save at least 3 of the gilts to keep for breeding sows and cut maybe 4 of the boars for butcher. So I have 3-4 left to sell. The farmer I was getting them from who (I bought out) has one more sow to farrow and will be ready in around 4 weeks. The demand I would believe will be dropping off by then. I am going to try and be ready with BBQ hogs for this time of year next year. The demand around here right now is crazy. OK, you're giving me ideas here. 
I can see buying 20 or so weanlings, growing them out a bit and selling them on CL. The demand is certainly there around here. |
Pigs are almost too smart to eat. Almost.
I built these guys a sort of sun porch. Since they're fair skinned, they need some protection from the sun. Unfortunately they've rooted down against the fence so I had to dump some dirt outside the fence, just in case. 
They're growing decently well but the heat has been hard on them. No different than any other year though. 
I'll never go back to a barrel-based watering system unless I have to. These nipples are much less work. The downside with them is they're constant pressure so you have to pay attention for potential leaks. 
The dog still LOVES the pigs. I'm not real worried about him jumping in with them at this point as I believe they'd kick his ass. 
Mrs. Feral gives them the kitchen scraps. They're annoyed with me as I don't have any at the moment. 
Pigs like rubber for some reason. I'm careful to not let them gnaw on my boots too much as they'll cut holes in them if given half a chance. 
I really like raising pigs on dirt. It's the antithesis of the pork you buy in the supermarket. These guys really don't know how good they have it. 
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I understand if you dig out a small depression and fill it with water for a couple of consecutive days, they'll turn it into a right fair pond.
That's the way old timers seal up their leaky ponds around here. They fence off the pond and turn the pigs into it, then wait for some rain. The pigs tromp the pond into a muddy mass and basically seal the bottom with a clay layer. kitties ETA: Feral I saw the rest of your videos. Did you rent that Bobcat,  or do you own it? Color me jealous, either way. 
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I know what you mean about the heat.
Was 103 here the other day! Hard on everything and everyone. Was over one of extension agent's house yesterday evening and she was saying how many folks' critters aren't going to make weight by the fair, and some folks are starting to lose animals. This summer makes me glad I'm a contrarian. |
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Next thing you know there will be a little table beside the pool and drinks with umbrellas.  I had to stop doing that. The pigs kept spilling their drinks and eating their little umbrellas. 
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ETA: Feral I saw the rest of your videos. Did you rent that Bobcat, or do you own it? Color me jealous, either way. That one was a loaner from a friend. That loan did convince me to buy one though––have owned it for over a year now. It is absolutely shocking how much work a skid steer will do. You must not have seen my post about harvesting the garlic with the loader. 
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+1 one on the loader. I have a john deere 6675 that I bought to maintain my track when I was still racing... It is still very handy around the hobby farm, but as poorly as it does in mud, as much as it ruts the yard, and as hard as it is to work on... Once I dig a root cellar I'm selling it and getting a 35-40hp 4x4 tractor with a loader.
And about the piggy pool... Mine had rooted a low spot that they were laying in. I put a sprinkler just outside the pen and turn it on once every few days to add a little water... It's been super dry here, but they manage to keep that hole dug nice and muddy. |
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+1 one on the loader. I have a john deere 6675 that I bought to maintain my track when I was still racing... It is still very handy around the hobby farm, but as poorly as it does in mud, as much as it ruts the yard, and as hard as it is to work on... Once I dig a root cellar I'm selling it and getting a 35-40hp 4x4 tractor with a loader. I think about selling my loader too. Mine's good in mud because of the tracks but it definitely is rough on the turf. I'll probably end up keeping it––if nothing else, it's therapeutic to tear stuff up with it!
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Torrential downpours haven't made ME thrilled with hog management.
The pigs don't really seem to particularly care though, which a blessing. They're happy no matter what, it seems. They've actually added more weight than would be usual right now, probably because of the moderate temperatures. Mrs. Feral bedded them with some fresh straw today. We'll see if that makes them happy. I told her that it might be unwise to get in with the hogs in her shorts, but she didn't listen. To her credit she stayed pretty darn clean.
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That last pic is going to get your ass kicked and demoted to Sofa Pilot status, I'm sure... hahaha
Seriously though, your operation looks very neat. We just got our 3 hogs butchered. I managed to get them loaded on the back of my tundra (built a cage with 2x4's in the stake pockets) and got them to the meat processor. They weighed in around 380 lbs each and butchered out around 210 lbs a piece. Had to go buy another freezer! It was a messy business...pigs got out 3 times, running over to the neighbor's yard (city councilman) and beating up his dog...last time was enough...it was time to go. I use the same hog fencing you got there except on one side of their pen, where an existing chainlink fence was put up some time ago...that's where they got out...chainlink won't hold hogs for some reason... Anyways, congrats ona stellar operation! |
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Great, I was just envious of your property, pig operation, and pigs.....
My wife went out into the pigpen earlier and messed up my favorite pair of her yoga pants.
I think I have to move my pen as the pigs have decided to dump out any and all of their water to make a muddy mess save for the area they sleep in. |
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[...chainlink won't hold hogs for some reason... Anyways, congrats ona stellar operation! Never had a problem with chainlink. Are you running a hotwire as well? We run one about 4" up and out one the inside, and they learn QUICK to avoid it. Also give them a good bit of room, and no problems. feral, How big an area are they in, do you rotate them in sections? Most years our pen (25'X65' +/-) is bare and cratered within a month or two of introducing pigs. Yours still has lots o' green! Hogs I killed tghis spring never really rooted, but they were the exception. Yesterday's rain was the first for us in months. Temps have been mid 90's + most days as well, until a few days ago. Lot of kids' hogs won't make weight by the fair this year. |
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How big an area are they in, do you rotate them in sections? Most years our pen (25'X65' +/-) is bare and cratered within a month or two of introducing pigs. Yours still has lots o' green! Hogs I killed tghis spring never really rooted, but they were the exception. These pigs aren't too big on rooting either. They do a bit, but not like some pigs we've had. I'll have to check the size of the pen. From memory, I'm gonna say it's 2 panels by 6 panels...so 36' by 96'. These pigs are actually adding weight pretty well. It's been unusually cool here, I guess that's why. |
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These pigs are actually adding weight pretty well. It's been unusually cool here, I guess that's why. if you get tired of some of that "unusually" cool weather, send it on down here. i'll even pay shipping
enjoying your thread very much. i'm trying to learn all that i can so that once i have my own property, i can get some animals. |
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Ummm, dumb question on the way. Won't the hawgs eat the hay Mrs. Feral put out for their bedding. Would be kinda like eating yer mattress?We bed on straw which pigs, smart animals that they are, don't find palatable.
They do like playing in it though and this gives them something to do. "Enrichment", and all that. They also burrow under it when it's cold. 
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The pigs have pretty much made the transformation from pigs to hogs.
They survived the miserable weather of the last weeks in fine style. No issues there. They're growing nicely and packing on the pounds. I figure they'll go another month before they take the long walk. Check out the jowls on the guy in the last pic––he's gonna be enormous! Garden Dog is much braver outside the pen than inside. He's much more respectful when he's actually mingling with the swine.
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Feeding them for another month is not going to be easy on the wallet but you are going to appreciate having pork in the freezer. Sausage is in the $4.50/lb range around here. Are you going to smoke your own bacon and hams this time? Make your own sausage? You're right.....keeping them at this point isn't cheap. They're eating 35-40 pounds of feed a day. I don't know yet how things will shake out as far as processing goes. We'll almost certainly do our own bacons. The hams we'll probably leave to the butcher as they have a nice touch with hams. I'm on the fence regarding sausage. I found the butcher's sausage a bit on the dry side, so I'm leaning towards us doing our own. I want to do a bunch of chorizo anyway and the PA Dutch butcher doesn't offer that.
The issue, as always, is time. |
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Feral it looks like you got nice pigs again this year.
They seem to like you. I'm glad. Probably makes it tougher to send them on the walk though. If you get a hankerin to try a run of canned sausage, it's freaking phenomenal and worth your time, IMO. I don't know if I have my grandparents' recipe or not, but if you don't have one and you're interested I'll see if I can find it. kitties |
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Feral it looks like you got nice pigs again this year. They seem to like you. I'm glad. Probably makes it tougher to send them on the walk though. If you get a hankerin to try a run of canned sausage, it's freaking phenomenal and worth your time, IMO. I don't know if I have my grandparents' recipe or not, but if you don't have one and you're interested I'll see if I can find it. They are a nice bunch of pigs. Not too pushy and not bitey. No, it doesn't make it easier when it comes time to haul them to the butcher.
If you run across that recipe, send it my way or post it please. I'd like to see it. |
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Feral it looks like you got nice pigs again this year. They seem to like you. I'm glad. Probably makes it tougher to send them on the walk though. If you get a hankerin to try a run of canned sausage, it's freaking phenomenal and worth your time, IMO. I don't know if I have my grandparents' recipe or not, but if you don't have one and you're interested I'll see if I can find it. They are a nice bunch of pigs. Not too pushy and not bitey. No, it doesn't make it easier when it comes time to haul them to the butcher.
If you run across that recipe, send it my way or post it please. I'd like to see it. I second the motion. |
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I've got the bug. The cows and chickens I added this year went pretty well, so next year it will be pigs.
Could you give me a quick run down on maintenance. How much pig food you feed, when you worm the and what you use? Any other tips? I know a good fence is probably most important. Are yours usually castrated when you buy them? Thank you for the info. |
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Feral you may have covered it in the thread, but how old, what weight, and price did you get them at?
I will get some pics of mine maybe tomorrow, but have not been thrilled with some of their gains. I have a runt that probably still wouldn't make 25lbs while the biggest is 120. Avg being 70 I am guessing. Got them 7/4 some probably being just 6 weeks and a 15-20lb avg. |
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Feral you may have covered it in the thread, but how old, what weight, and price did you get them at? I will get some pics of mine maybe tomorrow, but have not been thrilled with some of their gains. I have a runt that probably still wouldn't make 25lbs while the biggest is 120. Avg being 70 I am guessing. Got them 7/4 some probably being just 6 weeks and a 15-20lb avg. I think they were about 8-10 weeks when we got them. I know they were in the 40 pound range. They were $75 a head. The fella we got them from (large scale commercial hog grower) didn't think pigs any smaller would be ready for pasture. I think he is probably right there. |
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Could you give me a quick run down on maintenance. How much pig food you feed, when you worm the and what you use? Any other tips? I know a good fence is probably most important. Are yours usually castrated when you buy them? Free choice feeding is the way to go, IMO. Get a show feeder and fill it every so often. Some people say that you'll see better gains from scheduled feedings but I'm not convinced. We've fed mill-ground mash as well as pellets. I'm sold on the pellets. They're palatable and you only have to haul about half as much feed, in pounds, as the mash. They are somewhat more expensive though. You can worm with injected ivermectin or water based piperazine. We usually worm about halfway through the pigs stay. Yep, fence is important. I'd suggest chain link, boards or hog panel. You can run a low hot wire to reinforce whatever fence you choose. Feeder pigs should pretty much always be castrated when you get them. |
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If you run across that recipe, send it my way or post it please. I'd like to see it. Please post it. We have a couple hundred pounds of sausage in the freezers, and I plan to can a bunch of patties. Need to make room now that deer season is in. Feral, pigs look great. We had a good number not make weight here at the county fair: long,hot,dry summer so many just didn't gain well. Now, it's cold and wet. Go figure! |