Need help with ONE pig

[justusnak]

OK, so my son calles me from work. A lady he works with had 6 piggies. Well, 5 of them broke out, and are gone, so she wants to get rid of the other. I have NO idea what breed it is....just that its 4 months old...and about 60 pounds. I am going to go get it tomorrow...Oh yeah...its FREE.
Now...a few questions.
1) What do I feed this animal!?? Other than the kitchen scraps. Oh, and can there be meat in it?
2)can I raise just ONE pig??

I am so excited....a free pig!! Wow, imagine that!
I feel like I just hit the lottery! I know, wierd, but a PIG!!!

 

[quadcam79]

http://www.homestead.org/CJMouser/GettingStartedwithPigs.htm

and yes you can raise just one , hope that helps

 

[MissPrissy]

You can buy hog feed and slop it from your kitchen scraps. I know some people with hogs feed alot of left over and day old bread from the bread venders. They eat alot!

If you want a general all purpose book Storey's has one for raising pigs.

Just a note - Pigs are meat eaters and they will eat chickens if they get into the hog lot and it decides it is hungry.

 

[GwenFarms]

Definetly go to the library and get the book Ms. P reccomended. There are a few things you aren't going to want to feed your pig, between the book and the link everything will be covered. I will warn you that once a pig learns to get out of a pen it is hard to keep one in. This is the big issue with raising pigs and why most people do as your friend has, throw up their hands and give up! I myself don't have any right now because of this. We are trying to make our pen escape proof. I have raised just one pig and it'll do just fine.

 

[justusnak]

Thanks sooo much!! What a very helpfull site!

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Yes, definitely get a book if you can! That's what my dad did when we got our guy.

You are really going to want to watch it's feed in take, especially if it's a meat pig. They can have long lives, but you have to watch they don't get over weight. We fed ours regular agway hog feed, and he got one coffee can in the morning and one at night. He also got some table scraps, but mostly left over veggies and fruit. He also loved weeds from the garden when my mom would pick them.

There are some things they cannot have. I don't remember them all, but one was raw potatoes. They can't digest them or something.

Also, if it is a market type hog, make sure you have them in an area where you don't care if the grass gets torn up! They root and will turn an entire area into dirt in a month! I know there are alternatives to discourage rooting, but IMO they can be pretty harsh.

They also LOVE mud, which can be a good thing OR a bad thing! Try and anchor their water bucket as best you can, because he/she WILL try and knock it over! The mud will help keep them cool in the summer, but it can also get stinky real quick.

Pigs can be extremely friendly, but it is best to train them to walk on a leash or get them to the point where they are very easy to handle. I know this was VERY helpful when my pig needed to get shots. They are very strong and can be a lot to handle if not trained properly, especially if they are pets.

Is your guy gonna be a pet or for food? Ours was a wonderful pet, but unfortunately he had hip problems and had to be put down at the age of two.

 

[AK-Bird-brain]

If your planning on eating it I recommend feeding it as much berries and old jams or jellies as you can. It will add a yummy flavor to the meat. Any old milks or dairy products you can get are good for treats, Ours go nuts for them.
Make sure it cannt dig out from under or push your fence over to get out. they can be really quick and strong.

 

[lacyloo]

we butchered one yesterday .. omg

Its was just my grandma and me .. Someone was hunting and this white pig "domestic pig" came in . It had been eating the peoples corn so the killed her. And dint want to clean it so they came the whole pig to us.. I had to slit the throat , help with the guts and the pigs nasty butt..


The gut's smelled like rotten fish

a little Vick's Slav worked though



So good luck with your pig.

 

[ams3651]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=37566

thought i would bring up this thread, it has alot of good information

 

[justusnak]

Thanks for the replys. This will be a freezer pig. He is 4 months old, and already 60 pounds. From what I know, he is NOT neutered. So, is this something I NEED to do? My mother said...definately, get him neutered..or the meat will be too "strong" and you wont like it.? Im headed to the library this morning, and looking for that book. LOL
I have a pretty secure pen...I hope. If not, I can secure it more. I know if I put old bowling balls in there, he will root them, and not so much dig under a fence. The fence is burried, with AG lime about 6 inches deep along the fencline. I have a poole for it for this summer, and a very large crate for shelter. It is also partly under a tree. ( the tree is not inside the fence)This pen also has chicken wire on top, to keep the chickens OUT! LOL I dont want him to eat my babies!
I am supposed to go pick him up at 4pm today...so, wish me luck!!