FANCY ; Added note , I have seen Pigs as high as $60.00 , for nice ones and Low as $5.00 in bad market times , When feed is too High !!! BUT there is no better meat than your own home raised knowing what they have been fed . When you buy , Pick the ones with the most Body-leanth , for the most Bacon . Just things I have learned over the year's . I'll bet that deb40 agrees with me ......... ALANB.
Baby pigs $40?
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fancy
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mmmmmmmmm, bacon!!!!!!
Thanks for all the good input, going tomorrow to look at them...much to the dismay of DH. Not sure if I can pull this one off yet, but at least the seed will be planted in his brain.
Oh, I am the queen of devious.
Thanks for all the good input, going tomorrow to look at them...much to the dismay of DH. Not sure if I can pull this one off yet, but at least the seed will be planted in his brain.
Oh, I am the queen of devious.
justusnak
Almost Self-Reliant
We are currently raiseing ONE pig.....next to the sheep and goats. He has his own pasture....and is very happy to be there. 
I just put his feed bowl next to the fence...which draws the sheep in...which makes the pig eat. There was 2 days when he moved his bowl over next to his crate...so I just fed him there. He didnt eat those 2 days and I was worried he was sick. Then it hit me...." No compitetion"! HA! I quickly moved it back to the fence line, and he started "pigging out" 
He gets fed 3 x's a day, and the sheep just stand there and drool. 
I just put his feed bowl next to the fence...which draws the sheep in...which makes the pig eat. There was 2 days when he moved his bowl over next to his crate...so I just fed him there. He didnt eat those 2 days and I was worried he was sick. Then it hit me...." No compitetion"! HA! I quickly moved it back to the fence line, and he started "pigging out" He gets fed 3 x's a day, and the sheep just stand there and drool. 
homesteadmomma
Almost Self-Reliant
I wanted to raise a pig this year and researched it for hours and I mean hours. I decided to just raise one pig and I heard how this would not work and it would take longer to feed out. My way of thought was does it really matter how long it takes to feed out as long as it is not consuming the feed of two pigs? I feed ours pellets but he also gets all scraps except meat, all the windblown apples and pears, all the garden scraps and anything else I find. I was blessed with about 20 packages of instant potatoes and since we prefer the homemade potatoes he gets those made up and also all the rotten milk anybody will give me.
We made a pig pen out of heavy duty pallets. We had no money for pen so we went and got some super strong pallets for free and screwed them together with braces. It is made on the opposite side of the compost bin so I just scoop out his waste every other day and throw it over into the compost bin. It is not huge, it is 9 feet by 16 feet and so far completely big enough for him.
He has not escaped once (knock on wood) and seems like happy in there. I throw him the goats leftovers hay that they waste and burrows around in it and roots around in it. He does smell but not nearly as bad as I thought he would.
So far our experience has been a wonderful one. I love Mr. Double Stuff Oreo piggie and it will be hard when it comes time to butcher him out but that is his purpose. I am a little nervous about the meat as I have heard several people around here says that it is not as good as the store but then again all they fed their 4-H pigs was pellets.
If you would like pics of the pallet pen I would be happy to post some! Good luck!
We made a pig pen out of heavy duty pallets. We had no money for pen so we went and got some super strong pallets for free and screwed them together with braces. It is made on the opposite side of the compost bin so I just scoop out his waste every other day and throw it over into the compost bin. It is not huge, it is 9 feet by 16 feet and so far completely big enough for him.
He has not escaped once (knock on wood) and seems like happy in there. I throw him the goats leftovers hay that they waste and burrows around in it and roots around in it. He does smell but not nearly as bad as I thought he would.
So far our experience has been a wonderful one. I love Mr. Double Stuff Oreo piggie and it will be hard when it comes time to butcher him out but that is his purpose. I am a little nervous about the meat as I have heard several people around here says that it is not as good as the store but then again all they fed their 4-H pigs was pellets.
If you would like pics of the pallet pen I would be happy to post some! Good luck!
freemotion
Food Guru
Most of what you read in books and articles, and even many people's experiences with raising their own pigs...will be a miniature of the industrial model. You don't need to do that. I don't, not with any of my critters.
The industrial model counts the differences in weight gain and production in ounces, and they are not depending on free foods. For example, if you have 10,000 pigs, one day's worth of feed is a lot of money. So you need to get those pigs as big as possible and in the shortest time possible in order to have the highest possible profit.
This model does not account for picking up acorns while walking the dog, stopping on the side of the road for a broken pumpkin, and encouraging all your friends and neighbors to call you before they clean out the back of the fridge or freezer!
Because of the differences in the way pastured pigs are raised, and even penned pigs raised on a wide variety of yummy foods, the meat will taste different and the texture will be different. So the cooking methods will need to be different, too. I don't expect fork-tender chops that are cooked quickly in a frying pan from my pigs. I expect to make a lot of cured meats, ground pork for sausage and such, cubed pork for long-cooked stews, and roasts for the Dutch oven. Chops will likely be braised for a couple of hours in a covered pan.
The meat will also be very healthy and you won't need to be afraid of the fat. It will supply vitamins and nutrients that you can't get anywhere else, especially if your pig has access to sunshine. Vitamin D, baby! Better than a pill! Bring on the lard!
The industrial model counts the differences in weight gain and production in ounces, and they are not depending on free foods. For example, if you have 10,000 pigs, one day's worth of feed is a lot of money. So you need to get those pigs as big as possible and in the shortest time possible in order to have the highest possible profit.
This model does not account for picking up acorns while walking the dog, stopping on the side of the road for a broken pumpkin, and encouraging all your friends and neighbors to call you before they clean out the back of the fridge or freezer!
Because of the differences in the way pastured pigs are raised, and even penned pigs raised on a wide variety of yummy foods, the meat will taste different and the texture will be different. So the cooking methods will need to be different, too. I don't expect fork-tender chops that are cooked quickly in a frying pan from my pigs. I expect to make a lot of cured meats, ground pork for sausage and such, cubed pork for long-cooked stews, and roasts for the Dutch oven. Chops will likely be braised for a couple of hours in a covered pan.
The meat will also be very healthy and you won't need to be afraid of the fat. It will supply vitamins and nutrients that you can't get anywhere else, especially if your pig has access to sunshine. Vitamin D, baby! Better than a pill! Bring on the lard!
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fancy
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Oh Free, you are so inspiring!
What do you think about electric fencing?
What do you think about electric fencing?
freemotion
Food Guru
Fancy, read all that OFG wrote about pigs here and on byh, and my pig thread, for a thorough discussion of electric wire. Bottom line, we both have sturdy fencing with electric wire run on the inside, at lease one of the wires is at snout level.
Pigs!
Pigs!
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fancy
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Went to see hogs...absolutely disgusting. Do they have to be that smelly? No, really, if they have more room do they stink less? The flies!!!!!!!!! I use fly predators at my house so I guess I'm spoiled but there is no way I can live with that.
I don't think they look all that healthy, or at least their environment isn't. I think I'll pass on these.
Need to invest in stouter fencing. I'm already lining up sources for fresh produce, shelter can be minimal as I live in south florida. I can see a future with hogs but somebody please tell me they don't HAVE TO STINK so much? Please, I like pork... already picked out names Porkchop and Bacon
I don't think they look all that healthy, or at least their environment isn't. I think I'll pass on these.
Need to invest in stouter fencing. I'm already lining up sources for fresh produce, shelter can be minimal as I live in south florida. I can see a future with hogs but somebody please tell me they don't HAVE TO STINK so much? Please, I like pork... already picked out names Porkchop and Bacon
homesteadmomma
Almost Self-Reliant
I am not sure if I can be much help but when we picked up our weiner pig he stunk so very much. They feed them a mixture of this horrible smelling stuff and it was all over them. IT WAS AWFUL! After getting him home and letting that horrible smell wear off, it is much much better. It is very nice because he only goes potty in one corner of the pen so clean-up is easy.
ohiofarmgirl
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fancy.. repeat after me:
"i can endure all manner of stinkiness for the cause of bacon."
just keep saying that over and over and over again. yes pigs = stink but you can reduce it by putting them on pasture. pasture that is securely fenced and yes please use electric. with the biggest charger you can buy. everyone will be much much happier.
just think of the stink as "pre cooked bacon"
"i can endure all manner of stinkiness for the cause of bacon."
just keep saying that over and over and over again. yes pigs = stink but you can reduce it by putting them on pasture. pasture that is securely fenced and yes please use electric. with the biggest charger you can buy. everyone will be much much happier.
just think of the stink as "pre cooked bacon"
