Hello BYC friends, My husband and I have finally made the decision to raise our own pigs. Tomorrow we are picking up two American Guinea Hog barrows. They are almost eight weeks old. I've done extensive research online but i would like some advice. We plan to keep them in the 3 acres we have fenced in with welded for our goats and chickens. We have plenty of shelter available in the form of a barn a well as multiple doghouses scattered about that the goats love to sleep in. We plan to feed them some pig ration, hay,and vegetable scraps to supplement their grazing and foraging. We plan to wet down a corner of the area and place a kiddy pool there to encourage them to use that spot for a wallow. I have a few questions if you don't mind:
1. Should we keep them confined to a smaller area at first and gradually let them have more space, or just set them free on the whole 3 acres from the start?
2. If they haven't been wormed already, should we go ahead and worm them as soon as we get them home?
3. Should we feed them once a day or twice a day, or does it matter since they have access to grass and forage?
4. Will we need to trim their teeth/tusks?
5. Do you think they will try to get out of the fence? (My theory was that if they have enough room to roam about they won't have any desire to get out, but i don't know pigs)
6. Anything you think I should know that you wish someone would have told you before you got your pigs?
Thanks so much in advance smile
1. Should we keep them confined to a smaller area at first and gradually let them have more space, or just set them free on the whole 3 acres from the start?
2. If they haven't been wormed already, should we go ahead and worm them as soon as we get them home?
3. Should we feed them once a day or twice a day, or does it matter since they have access to grass and forage?
4. Will we need to trim their teeth/tusks?
5. Do you think they will try to get out of the fence? (My theory was that if they have enough room to roam about they won't have any desire to get out, but i don't know pigs)
6. Anything you think I should know that you wish someone would have told you before you got your pigs?
Thanks so much in advance smile