Advice for raising pigs?

[texaschickenfis]

Hi all I have been raising chickens for over 2 years now and keep about 11 and 3 roosters. I have the barrnyard mix of buffs, reds, Plymouth rocks, and Americanas. They are all doing really well after a period of trial and error a lot of Hotwire. Just want to give a shoutout to everyone on this forum for being so awesome!

I am wondering about pigs! We are interested in raising our own pork and have a field fenced with electric wire and a pen that is 125ft x 100. I can buy the feeders and waterers but was wondering about breed, nutrition, and of course smell. The area is shaded primarily large oak forest that does tend to get a little wet after a hard rain but is sandy and drains quickly. I think the biggest concern is this area adequate and how bad will the stink be? Also is there a best time to raise pork. We have an orchard of about 100 trees with lots of rotten fruit that falls and I figure June July due to the fruit drop would be a good finishing month or October November due to the epic amount of acorns we get. Any thoughts. I am really just thinking about anything I forgot....aka an ounce of prevention etc.

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

thats a good sized pen...how many you planning on putting in there?? with only one or 2 in there, you smell would most likely be almost nothing. When on pasture, pigs are surprisingly clean...its when you put them in a 6x6 pen that you start having major smell issues. there will be normal smell of course, because they do poop like any other animal both acorns and windfall fruit are great ways to feed them. They also like extra milk (if you have goats or cows of course and almost any veggies from the garden. one of the things not to give them is raw potato. and onions can taint the meat if you feed them close to butchering time...might want to stay away from those in general. Look from the breeds that are available in your area. a darker skinned pig will take sunlight better. They do like a mud pit, and on hot days, they love it if you run the hose on the ground to give them some mud to wallow in and keep cool. I don't know about best time...i would finish them up in late fall, before it starts freezing...who wants another animal to care for in 0 degrees, lol