Pigs and chickens.

[Jennyhaschicks]

I had quite a scare yesterday. Some of my chickens (9 weekers) got into my pig pen. They decided to get in there because we extended our pig run and there is now a tree stump next to the pig fence. I looked out and one baby was being chased by a pig. I took off out my back door hollering "NO PIG. NO PIG!!". I am sure the neighbors thought I was insane. By the time I got down there the pig had grabbed my baby and had her in her mouth. She dragged her through the mud and the chicken was still in her mouth. I thought she was dead since she wasn't moving. The chicken was also stuck in the mud hole so the mud was restricting her movement. I smacked the pig and grabbed my chicken by the wing and got her out. She was in shock. I thought she was going to be all ripped up but she wasn't. I hosed her lightly and talked to her. I didn't have much time to check for bites because 5 other of my chickens had were being chased. It was a horrible mess. My hubby was in town getting take out so it was just me. Alone. I was almost in tears from being overwhelmed even though I was trying to remain calm. I ended up getting all of them out. I was covered in mud from head to toe and there were feathers everywhere.
I think the pig started out chasing my chicken for fun. I am sure though it would have been killed if I wasn't there to save her. I have heard a pig will eat a chicken before. Paranoia has set in and I am looking out my back window every 10 minutes. I am hoping the chickens learned their lesson for now.
So the moral of the story is don't trust you pigs with your chickens.

 

[Cetawin]

Oh you poor dear. I am so glad the chicks are okay. Yes, pigs will eat anything, including each other so a chicken is not off the menu.

 

[kstaven]

Pigs have taken down farmers in the pen and inflicted serious trauma and a few deaths. They have the "potential" to be far more dangerous than people seem to realize.

 

[Jennyhaschicks]

Quote:
I agree. People don't realize it. We have warned the kids NEVER EVER EVER get into the pen. Ours are young and still not that big. They are about 60 pounds. I don't trust them for one bit and don't turn my back on them.

 

[antlers]

Wheres a camera for America's funniset home video's when you really need one.

Seriously pigs will eat anything. In one area I taught Ag, there were a large umber of factory broiler operations for a larger company. Owned by a large company but run by family farmers. Most of these guys kept a couple sows and fed them nothing but dead chickens every night from the double decker buildings.

The sale of the feeder pigs from the sows supplemented their income. The companies never paid them much to begin with so it was hard to fault them but yes sows are dangerous.