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Barnyard Buddies:  Have you raised pigs?  |
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gspringman
True Blue Farmgirl
387 Posts
Gail
Bonanza
Oregon
USA
387 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 04 2009 : 09:53:59 AM
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Thinking of raising a pig or two. Need info on how expensive are they to raise, do they really stink, shelter, anything and everything you can tell me is mucho appreciated.
Gail
Farmgirl #486
mbr. Charming Chicks
http://grammasladybug.blogspot.com/ |
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KansasConnie
True Blue Farmgirl
69 Posts
Connie
Atchison County
Kansas
USA
69 Posts |
Posted - Mar 04 2009 : 11:40:04 AM
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Pigs are wonderful to raise. And they really are smart.
When confined and raised in mass they can smell, but when raised in small quantities and in the open air, they do not smell bad unless it is very wet out. (And actually--Pigs do not urinate or poop in the area where they sleep!) A simple three sided shed is adaquate...esp in Oregon...with straw as bedding. Pigs do like to "root" so a pen should be very tight--hog panels (with smaller openings at the bottom) work best. If you'd like your pigs to forage and want to move them often, they can be easily trained to respect an electric fence. Typically it takes 6-8 mos (depending on weather) to "fatten" a hog out.
Different breeds have different qualities in disposition as well as in the meat itself. We love Chester Whites for their laid-back attitudes and wonderfully marbled pork chops!
Hope this helps!
Kansas Connie |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 04 2009 : 2:59:58 PM
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Yes, I have. Twice. Both times did it different. The last time I pastured them. Started 4 in the garden with just 3' page wire. That did not last long. They got big fast and started climbing over. So then they were in the whole pasture area and chicken yard. Tore it up, too.
I got these guys in Sept. for $25 each. They went to slaughter in Jan. I sold 2 1/2 and kept 1 1/2 for us. Did not make a dime with all the feed they ate. Plus goat milk from my goats. But well worth it.
You can use hog or cattle panels or a few strands of very strong electric fence. Chain link is ok when they're small but when they are bigger, they go right under it. Re-bar takes care of that problem.
Mine were in about an acre pasture. Plenty to eat and do. They had a shelter with plenty of hay to burrow under on cold nights. Clean fresh water and plenty of scraps will keep pigs happy.
I had them 4 months and the slaughter house people came and got them. They were hanging, 200, 185, 170 and 160 pounds when we were done. Not bad for 4 months work.
I will tell you that I was worn out. I could barely get up out of a chair. I hauled feed in 5 gallon buckets several times a day. I could not be gone for more than a few hours at a time. It was a lot of work. It helps if you have family to help. I had to do it all myself. Hubby drives a truck.
So think long and hard about getting pigs. I will probably not get anymore to raise here again, unless I get pig amnasia like I did the last time. A friend up the road raises them and I will get them from her next time.
Kris
Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. Maori proverb |
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gspringman
True Blue Farmgirl
387 Posts
Gail
Bonanza
Oregon
USA
387 Posts |
Posted - Mar 04 2009 : 4:37:14 PM
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Connie and Kristin -Your info really helps me make some kind of decision on whether or not to raise them. Will have to work on a better fencing area for sure. It's just nice to hear what is involved. Thank you much.
Gail
Farmgirl #486
mbr. Charming Chicks
http://grammasladybug.blogspot.com/ |
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Marybeth
True Blue Farmgirl
6418 Posts
Mary Beth
Stanwood
Wa 98292
USA
6418 Posts |
Posted - Mar 04 2009 : 10:19:32 PM
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I got seven new borns from a farmer neighbor. the mama had way too many babies. they started out in the bathroom. some died early because they didn't get the colustrum but the ones that lived we just kept in a big wood fenced area. One specially bonded to me and would follow me around. He got huge. In the olden days the pig was called the 'mortgage lifter' because they are so easy to raise and sell for pretty good at butchering time. We got a freezer full of pork and ham and the following spring Tomatoes grew all by themselves in the pen. Funny!! MB
http://www.smallcityscenes.blogspot.com
www.strawberryhillsfarm.blogspot.com
www.day4plus.blogspot.com www.holyhouses-day4plus.blogspot.com
"Life may not be the party we hoped for...but while we are here we might as well dance!" |
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Celticheart
True Blue Farmgirl
811 Posts
Marcia
WA
USA
811 Posts |
Posted - Mar 04 2009 : 10:37:58 PM
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Last summer was the first one in 10 years that we haven't had pigs. DS raised them for 4-H and then FFA and always did very well with them. I can't say that I missed having them around but I do miss the meat. There's just no comparison between what you buy in a store and what you raise yourself. Ours were feed hog chow supplemented with lots of scraps and garden waste, etc. They usually weighed about 40-50# when we got them. We fed them from the end of May to the middle of September and he sold them at the fair. Most weighed between 250-270. We always raised an extra too and fed it out for another month to 6 weeks. If you decide not to get any yourself you might see about buying a turned hog at a fair from 4-H or FFA.
It's not about being perfect, but enjoying what you do. Set aside time to be creative.
Robyn Pandolph
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Sheep Mom 2
True Blue Farmgirl
1534 Posts
Sheri
Elk
WA
USA
1534 Posts |
Posted - Mar 10 2009 : 4:14:01 PM
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| Last summer was the first year I didn't raise hogs either. The price of feed around here was through the roof and still hasn't come down all that much. It was up to $20.00 per bag - a $12.00 increase from the previous year. Other than good fencing and a lot of water when the weather turns hot, pigs are pretty easy to raise as long as you give them enough feed or a good grassy area to keep them busy. A bored pig can be real trouble and will fight. Make sure the pig has been cut if it's a male and find out about selinium shots - not enough selinium means white muscle disease. |
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Brew Crew
True Blue Farmgirl
676 Posts
Molly
Arizona
676 Posts |
Posted - Mar 10 2009 : 8:34:24 PM
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I hate to be a Negative Nelly, but this was the first year we raised our own hog and I will never again. Feed was so cheap at first, with just a little bitty pig and she ate mostly table scraps and maybe a bag of feed every other week or so. As soon as she hit about 5 months, though, she started needing a bag (50lb!) of feed every 3-4 days. That thing cost so much to feed out and then butcher.....We have a place near us that sells already processed pork and they have a deal for 'half a hog' that costs $175. That would have been such the better way for us to go!! I'm glad for the experience, though, but the smell was bad (maybe our Arizona heat made it worse?) and ended up costing us HUNDREDS in feed and fence panels. :(
The Biz www.tvalahandmade.com
The Blog: http://blog.tvalahandmade.com/
The Bits www.happydalehobby.blogspot.com/
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milkmaid
True Blue Farmgirl
187 Posts
Heather
Higginsville
Missouri
USA
187 Posts |
Posted - Mar 11 2009 : 11:20:36 AM
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We have pigs every summer.. we use a short one wire electric fence(about knee high on me) they have never gotten out and really respect the fence.. we have them on about 1/2 acre pasture with a three sided house.. We feed them all the scrap from the garden and they do get some corn and oats. We have found that the cost to raise a pig is not much here. We raise three sell one to pay all the feed cost and butcher two for the family. We feed them once a day grain soaked in water or milk and then later they get a bucket of scraps. We have a large family and a HUGE garden so they will get a 5 gallon bucket of scraps a day. They graze in the pasture and root around. When it gets really hot we put a sprinkler on them to keep them cool. It takes roughly 7 months to go from 25 pounds to 270-300. I find that the hogs are very easy we don't ever have problems with them. The meat is tasty and tender.
http://goodfarm.blogspot.com/
Mother to five awesome kids, wife of 17 years and milk maid to two beautiful cows. Living the good life!!! |
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Barnyard Buddies: Have you raised pigs? |
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Have you raised pigs?
