To those wanting to raise hogs- congrats on being wise about doi.g it in Spring/Summer first! Our first ones we have raised this past winter. We looked for piglets all last Spring/Summer but it was September before we found some locally that were available due to the slaughterhouse owner putting dibbs on every litter as soon as they were born. We rolled with it and all these months later we have learned that our large hog lot on a downhill grade was not ideal for the amount of rooting they do and that nobody (hogs nor humans) like it when rain follows snowmelt turning the shelter area into 7" of soupy mud
It WAS nicely sloped for drainage until they rooted it into a dip bowl shape that held all the rain water on this mountain it seemed. Alas, you learn as you go. One hog is ready to go but our efforts to get it out of the lot, up the steep hill and onto the truck a few weeks ago resulted in hog screams that'll bust your ears and the hog peacefully laughing at us in the lot at the end of the day. He is now still enjoying food every day instead of being in our freezer until we get a chute built
Have fun and I bet yall get better feed conversion.
