Pigs Advice & Questions

[Grim]

remember pigs are omnivorous. like people, bears and rats. hogs like eating chickens. they are about as smart as a dog. you can train a young pig not to mess with your chickens but you may still lose chickens to the hogs. if they aren't kept separate. i probably lose as many as 1 in 10 chickens to my hogs because the chickens won't stay out of the pig pen.

 

[Livinzoo]

My pigs are pastured with goats and a cow. The chickens, ducks and turkeys free range the pasture and the yard. My pigs don't eat the poultry.

I've found that pigs on pasture rarely mess with poultry.

 

[Wild Trapper]

Quote:
I have had a few PBPs and I have to agree. Maybe it was just me, but I didn't have the best of luck with mine. One died, one ran away and got killed in the road, one was gentle and lovable, but my wife sold him, and the one of the others I never could tame, wife sold him too. I just have one runt female Hampshire (regular farm breed) now and she is so funny and tame. Not sure if we'll be able to eat her anytime soon. We've had her about three months and she is still only about 60-70#. Originally wanted to bred her with one of the PBP males, but sold those before she was old enough.

 

[Diamond Wire Farms]

I agree that PBP can have terrible temperments. Our PB sow is a rescue and we helped find homes for her piglets. Even at 8 weeks the were ornery. My KuneKune pigs are SWEET SWEET pigs. Even our intact boar will roll on his back to get his belly petted. And he's full grown @ 200lbs.

You'll get the best cold advice from up there in NY. Increase feed, good shelter, thawed water....

And you must have more than one. Just think of how nervous and miserable one chicken would be!