Raising Pigs with Chickens

[Ouwendyker]

Not exactly sure where to post this so I guess I will post it here!

I’m currently looking into buying 2 piglets. I plan on having them in a rotational “grazing” system(moving them everyday). If I put chickens with them from the start is it possible they will bond with the chickens? I know that adult pigs are likely to eat chickens or other birds but if i raise them with chickens from the start maybe they will be fine? This way the chickens can eat up the bugs etc that the pigs will most likely root up therefore saving the cost of feed. (I’ve also heard of people having chicken tractors behind cows so they can eat stuff out of there waste, anyone tried this before? Maybe they can do it with pigs!)

If anyone has any input on this that is welcome! (and thanks in advance)

 

[Latestarter]

I suggest/recommend that you visit over on the sister site: http://www.backyardherds.com/
as they have lots of posts in the swine/hog/pig section and you might find valuable info there on this subject as well as lots of other good stuff. Good luck!

 

[Biddybot]

Good grief! Please don't tell us that you are planning on actually penning some chickens in with the hogs! No, your pigs will not bond with the chickens. They lack the instinct to protect their master or pack leader, and by extension, their master's possessions (livestock included), which is what we count on and why a good many dogs can be taught to leave chickens alone and even guard them. A piglet, on the other hand, will merely tolerate your chickens until the day the piglet is big enough and feels confidant enough to make a grab for your birds, after which it's chicken for lunch. The only time chickens and hogs do well together is if it's fully open pen and the chickens are fast-moving leghorns or games or some other fully-flighted and self-sufficient breed or mix, and they're free to hop in and out of the pigs' pen at will. They'll sometimes form a sort of quasi symbiotic relationship then, of the sort you're hoping for, except that the 'cattle' kicking up the insects in this case may still occasionally catch a bird off guard and eat it. If that possibility's okay with you, have at it!

 

[Conan]

In case you didn't post this elsewhere, I'd like to offer my experience.
First and foremost, what kind of pigs are you looking to keep? Personality varies by breed so if you have that information, that would be helpful.
Many breeds of heritage hogs will NOT mess with your birds. I have two Kunekune sows and they coexist really nicely with birds and have so for years. Kunekunes are a pasture pig so they mainly eat grass/hay. Both my chickens and ducks hang out with the pigs with zero issues. I will say that one of my piggies figured out that if a duck is sitting in one spot for too long, there is likely an egg under there... They do love eggs.
A friend of mine raises Gloucestershire Old Spots for meat and also has no issues. Turkeys, ducks, chickens and geese share the space. Again, the pigs are only interested in the eggs.
I have attached a photo of Whipple Scrumptious Fudgemallow Delight being noodled and napped on by the Winklebottoms, a trio of call ducks.

 

[Tinkey71]

In case you didn't post this elsewhere, I'd like to offer my experience.
First and foremost, what kind of pigs are you looking to keep? Personality varies by breed so if you have that information, that would be helpful.
Many breeds of heritage hogs will NOT mess with your birds. I have two Kunekune sows and they coexist really nicely with birds and have so for years. Kunekunes are a pasture pig so they mainly eat grass/hay. Both my chickens and ducks hang out with the pigs with zero issues. I will say that one of my piggies figured out that if a duck is sitting in one spot for too long, there is likely an egg under there... They do love eggs.
A friend of mine raises Gloucestershire Old Spots for meat and also has no issues. Turkeys, ducks, chickens and geese share the space. Again, the pigs are only interested in the eggs.
I have attached a photo of Whipple Scrumptious Fudgemallow Delight being noodled and napped on by the Winklebottoms, a trio of call ducks.

I house my chickens and ducks with 2 pigs without an issue at all- so far. The pigs are about 5 months old. The lady I got them from had a ton of pigs sharing space with chickens. I didn’t even know this was a possible problem. I do only free range my birds part of the day, they are caged at night and when I leave the farm to do something- there are too many predators here- so mainly they are supervised when they are out , so maybe that makes a difference