free pigs

[Chic Rustler]

If you want to do it yourself these guys are super helpful-

they make it look easy

 

[NH Homesteader]

they make it look easy

It really isn’t that hard, and honestly if you mess up, it still tastes like pork!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

If I can butcher a pig - anybody can, lol!

 

[NH Homesteader]

It's just a big greasy deer, we can do this!

TBH, a pig would be tough for me to get through - it's a big animal! Chicken, lamb and venison fawn suits me better.

Yeah that’s why we liked the AGH… smaller. Of course I don’t like the meat so that wasn’t helpful

Lamb is easier, especially because my sheep are tiny. How big are your butcher lambs typically?

 

[farmerjan]

As much as they will clean up in a couple hours... Say a quarter of a 5 gal bucket... twice a day... Basically hogs can get fed free choice so they gain as fast as possible; once they get used to what you are feeding them.

 

[tortoise]

Yeah that’s why we liked the AGH… smaller. Of course I don’t like the meat so that wasn’t helpful

Lamb is easier, especially because my sheep are tiny. How big are your butcher lambs typically?

Some years we hold small lambs back from auction and let them keep eating and growing until the grass dies. Those might be only 60 - 70#. Sometimes we save the biggest one for ourselves, they can be 100 - 120#

 

[NH Homesteader]

My adult ram is only 105! Itty bitty sheepies

 

[tortoise]

My adult ram is only 105! Itty bitty sheepies

Wow. My ram is 300-ish. He's a beast.

Remind me to get smaller sheep when I'm older. They sound easier to manage!

 

[NH Homesteader]

SO much easier! They’re flighty so hard to catch but I can flip them myself if I have to, and I have a bad back.

 

[tortoise]

SO much easier! They’re flighty so hard to catch but I can flip them myself if I have to, and I have a bad back.

Highly recommend this. We should have gotten one right away. Just got it last year. I don't know how we managed without! https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/premier-fiberglass-shepherds-crook