# Three Little Pigs



## BarnOwl (Jun 22, 2020)

We are thrilled to add three Guinea Hog gilts to our menagerie.  Thanks to everyone who has already given us great advice on fencing and watering. We've had them for almost a week now and all seems to be going well. We have woven wire fencing with two strands of electric and so far they haven't shown any interest in testing the boundaries (fingers crossed). They've made a pretty good wallow by their water and have discovered how to get in and out of the barn.





We asked our four-year-old if he wanted to name any of them, and he said we should call the big one Lovely. Husband suggested food names for the other two so we don't get too attached. They are supposed to be feeder pigs. So, the little ones are Suey and Florentine.




Exploring the field




Got the water barrel set up with the pig nipples, but they much prefer splashing in their rubber bowls and kiddie pool. I hope I can train them to drink from the barrel because the water in the bowls gets muddy so fast.





We're excited to start our new adventure with Guinea Hogs. We have a lot to learn.  If anyone has any advice for newbies, we'd be happy to listen. Thanks for letting us hang out here and soak in the wisdom.


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## Baymule (Jun 25, 2020)

That is awesome. Are all 3 feeder pigs? This is a good way to teach your 4 year old where food comes from and let him be part of the process of raising them. Congrats on the pigs!


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## Jesusfreak101 (Jun 26, 2020)

Watching. We recently got one kunekune and four either part kunekune and part Juliana or full juliana pigs. Plan to raise for meat for at least two of them(one is pregnant). I am hoping to get a kunekune female eventually for breeding. I also thought of getting Guinea hogs but when i was ready to buy there were non near me. Plus I got a good deal on my current pigs. We have six currently one is a potbelly mix. So far pigs are pretty awesome. I haven't done the barrel yet (lots of projects) but was hoping to get there i tend to have to change the pool water twice a week or atleast once a week. They tend to pee in their mud holes and pool why I don't know but beware the water gets nasty muddy and smells. Now I have three different pens for them. One pen (breeders are in) has constant well water fed mud hole which they absolutely love. Your guinea do need a muddy spot you might need to start one for them so they can get in the mud has it helps with pest control and also sun for them with an add bonus of keeping them cool.


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## misfitmorgan (Jun 26, 2020)

Your new pigs are very cute!

I would suggest not feeding them meat. Pigs like people are omnivores but the way our chicken killer/eater pig looks at people is a tad disturbing. The fact she kills and eats our chickens isnt really pleasant. Up to you though, some people do feed meat.

If they are friendly you should train them to the nipple now, if you can get one to figure it out it will show the others.


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## BarnOwl (Jun 26, 2020)

Baymule said:


> That is awesome. Are all 3 feeder pigs? This is a good way to teach your 4 year old where food comes from and let him be part of the process of raising them. Congrats on the pigs!



Yeah, they are all feeder pigs. The breeder said the older one should be ready in the winter or we could keep her till the spring. The other two were weaned not too long ago so we'll have them for another year-ish. There was a possibility of getting a gilt who was pregnant, but I didn't feel like we were nearly experienced enough for that. 
It's fun getting the kids involved in caring for the animals, and it's good for them. With schools shut down and quarantine this spring, I don't know what we'd have done if we didn't have outdoor time and animals.


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## BarnOwl (Jun 26, 2020)

Jesusfreak101 said:


> Watching. We recently got one kunekune and four either part kunekune and part Juliana or full juliana pigs. Plan to raise for meat for at least two of them(one is pregnant). I am hoping to get a kunekune female eventually for breeding. I also thought of getting Guinea hogs but when i was ready to buy there were non near me. Plus I got a good deal on my current pigs. We have six currently one is a potbelly mix. So far pigs are pretty awesome. I haven't done the barrel yet (lots of projects) but was hoping to get there i tend to have to change the pool water twice a week or atleast once a week. They tend to pee in their mud holes and pool why I don't know but beware the water gets nasty muddy and smells. Now I have three different pens for them. One pen (breeders are in) has constant well water fed mud hole which they absolutely love. Your guinea do need a muddy spot you might need to start one for them so they can get in the mud has it helps with pest control and also sun for them with an add bonus of keeping them cool.



Kunekune pigs are so cool looking. I've read somewhere that they root less and graze more than other breeds, which could be a good trait--if it's true. I was debating whether I should start out with pigs or goats, but a family member breeds and raises AGH, so I knew I could trust her, and she had a litter ready. We might get the goats next spring, if we can afford more fencing, and if I think I have the time.

Your set up sounds awesome. A well-water mud hole sounds amazing. Mine would be jealous! It didn't take them them an hour and they had started a wallow by knocking over one of their water bowls. I was planning on dragging the hose over and starting one for them, but they beat me to it. They also have a kiddie pool they like to wade in. The breeder says that plastic turtle sandboxes for kids hold up better, so I'll watch Craigslist and see if I can pick up one of those cheap. So far mine haven't mastered drinking from the barrel yet, but I haven't tried to train them too hard yet--they will depress the nipple and drink when there is jelly smeared all over it. I was worried that they would spill or drink all their water in the morning and then be without water until I checked in the evening (or that I'd have to fill up the water multiple times per day), but so far there has always been water in their bowls for their evening feeding. It's muddy, which is another why I'd like them to use the barrel, but I don't think they pee in it. They could in the pool and the mud hole though.


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## BarnOwl (Jun 26, 2020)

misfitmorgan said:


> Your new pigs are very cute!
> 
> I would suggest not feeding them meat. Pigs like people are omnivores but the way our chicken killer/eater pig looks at people is a tad disturbing. The fact she kills and eats our chickens isnt really pleasant. Up to you though, some people do feed meat.
> 
> If they are friendly you should train them to the nipple now, if you can get one to figure it out it will show the others.



Good thoughts. I think I will be very sparing with meat. DH wanted to feed them something with pork in it the other day, I said that just feels wrong. So far they are friendly; perhaps a bit shy. I hope it stays that way.  They get kind of intense when the feed bucket is out, so I'm cautious at that time. Hogs can be intimidating, even our relatively small AGH. I'm working on getting them used to the nipple. They use it when jelly is smeared on it, otherwise they seem to prefer the bowls, but I haven't really tried to train them too hard yet. My chickens caught on to using nipple-waterers really fast, so I wasn't anticipating much of a problem.


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## Jesusfreak101 (Jun 26, 2020)

I feed mine some meat more veggies but i havent had a problem outside if them stealoling the duck eggs. Matter of fact mine have a chick that roost on them and I think it's funny. The chick doesn't care where the pig is she or he will go find the pigs and get on their backs to roost. Now my durocs did go for my chickens but we haven't had an issue with these 6 pigs.  They do love weeds and graze i have one that doesn't care foe much else. They have been in my garden with me and will eat the weeds but don't touch the vegtable plants. Gruff our boar will come up and sit down like a dog wanting either a treat or to be scratch he also flops over for a belly rub lol. Here some picture of the pigs. (Some where from when we first got them and now he so much bigger then he use to be)


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## Baymule (Jun 26, 2020)

We raise feeder pigs and i got tired of having to fight pigs off when i tried to feed them, having to go find where they tossed their feed pan, them turning over their water and some of them were just creepy. So I built a Pig Palace. We got a feed bin that holds 150 pounds of feed and we can fill it from the outside. We have a water barrel too, gosh i love that thing! Here's a link to my Pig Palace.






						Baymule’s Pigs 2018 HEREFORDS!
					

I keep cans of wasp spray. I don't mind them so much, but not in the places I/we frequent.



					www.backyardherds.com


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## BarnOwl (Jun 27, 2020)

Jesusfreak101 said:


> I feed mine some meat more veggies but i havent had a problem outside if them stealoling the duck eggs. Matter of fact mine have a chick that roost on them and I think it's funny. The chick doesn't care where the pig is she or he will go find the pigs and get on their backs to roost. Now my durocs did go for my chickens but we haven't had an issue with these 6 pigs.  They do love weeds and graze i have one that doesn't care foe much else. They have been in my garden with me and will eat the weeds but don't touch the vegtable plants. Gruff our boar will come up and sit down like a dog wanting either a treat or to be scratch he also flops over for a belly rub lol. Here some picture of the pigs. (Some where from when we first got them and now he so much bigger then he use to be)



Love the pics! You have a beautiful farm and animals! It's nice to know your pigs get along with your chickens.  They look so friendly. Mine aren't really interested in scratches or belly rubs just yet, but they will let me touch them without squealing and running away.


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## BarnOwl (Jun 27, 2020)

Baymule said:


> We raise feeder pigs and i got tired of having to fight pigs off when i tried to feed them, having to go find where they tossed their feed pan, them turning over their water and some of them were just creepy. So I built a Pig Palace. We got a feed bin that holds 150 pounds of feed and we can fill it from the outside. We have a water barrel too, gosh i love that thing! Here's a link to my Pig Palace.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I love your set up! I don't have a feed bin yet as I've been told that if I free feed AGH they'll get obese really fast. I usually throw several handful of pellets over the side of the fence to distract them before I go in to fill up their feed pans because otherwise they follow at the back of my legs, and I'm still learning to read pigs. The gilts are small enough that I don't feel threatened, but I bet the year-old could give a nasty bite if she wanted to. So far, I think their grunts seem happy and friendly, but if they start creeping me out, I'll feed them from outside the fence. I'll be super disappointed if I can't train them to drink from their barrel. I mean, my chickens managed to learn to drink from their nipple-waterer with almost no help from me, and pigs are supposed to be smart.


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## Baymule (Jun 27, 2020)

Take away their water tubs and they will learn real quick. You could build them a shelter with a window cut in it like mine and feed them from the outside. We took out the blue barrel feeder and put in a heavy trough made from 2x8's. Then if you go in their pen, they won't be looking for feed.


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