Bought piglet at auction, feeding question

[elieugene6]

I picked up a piglet at auction yesterday. I have been wanting a pig for awhile but this was a spur of the moment purchase, please no lectures. I picked up pig chow or whatever it's called from purina from tsc on the way home. I wasn't sure if the pig was weaned so I opened the bag there and gave it some, it ate so I assumed it was weaned. However it won't eat anything else that I can tell or drink. Last night it looked cold so I put a fleece blanket in with it and put my chicks heat lamp on it. It stopped shivering so I assumed it was just chilly.

I don't know the breed or the age. I do know that of all the pickets auctioned off the 19 auctioned off with mine were the smallest. It is pink with black spots and for $30 I just couldn't pass her up.

If she wasn't weaned what type of milk replacer would I need to get? I could go get it now. She is cute and I really don't want to loose her. The auction I got her at is a local market auction. So I guess it's possible she wasn't weaned. I know they sell day old dairy calf bulls. If I had to guess her weight I would say she is around 25 lbs. Also should I remove her auction ear tag and if so how?

 

[SuburbanFarmChic]

If she is 25lbs she is weaned. You can give pigs cows milk or goats milk. They also really like yogurt.

Give her a bale of hay to root around in. Keep her warm. Pigs will eat almost anything they can smell so maybe dump a little juice in her water to tempt her. Watch for nasal discharge and coughing. Auctions are a great place to pick up cootie bugs.

And clearly we need pictures of the little oinker

 

[elieugene6]

I will try and get pictures later today. I went out to get her and bring her outside ( she is spending nights right now in the henhouse in a large wire dog crate). All my bantam Cochin chicks were in the cage eating and scratching through what she rooted up in the cage since I left the pan out the bottom is just wire. I had a nice deep layer of shavings last night. It's everywhere now. Will she eat my chicks?

I just chased her around 30 acres cause she lifted her pen up and decided a run would be nice. How do you catch an escaped pig? That wasn't fun. When I get my electric fence up will I be able to put her in as well? I have 2 wether goats that are full size goats and am enclosing a 7 acre field. If not would I be able to run a few hot wires around the bottom of the chain link pen I already have? My charger will power over 100 miles so I have more than enough extra juice.

Aparently she likes Mac n cheese baby food and cherries. Still won't touch the pig chow though. What type of watered should I use? She keeps tipping the metal pan over. Picky pig my chickens will eat anything. Including her pig chow. Seems to like grass and the compost pile. Oh and the garden which us where I finally caught her. She ran at me which makes me think she wasn't trying to be nice.

 

[Hillsvale]

I will try and get pictures later today. I went out to get her and bring her outside ( she is spending nights right now in the henhouse in a large wire dog crate). All my bantam Cochin chicks were in the cage eating and scratching through what she rooted up in the cage since I left the pan out the bottom is just wire. I had a nice deep layer of shavings last night. It's everywhere now. Will she eat my chicks?

I just chased her around 30 acres cause she lifted her pen up and decided a run would be nice. How do you catch an escaped pig? That wasn't fun. When I get my electric fence up will I be able to put her in as well? I have 2 wether goats that are full size goats and am enclosing a 7 acre field. If not would I be able to run a few hot wires around the bottom of the chain link pen I already have? My charger will power over 100 miles so I have more than enough extra juice.

Aparently she likes Mac n cheese baby food and cherries. Still won't touch the pig chow though. What type of watered should I use? She keeps tipping the metal pan over. Picky pig my chickens will eat anything. Including her pig chow. Seems to like grass and the compost pile. Oh and the garden which us where I finally caught her. She ran at me which makes me think she wasn't trying to be nice.

Firstly don't worry about someone lecturing you... party poppers, its not like you are completely without facilities for her... we do however require pictures, its important.
Catching a little pig.... , whatever!... get a net, wait until she's hungry and trap her or wait until its dark... she will eventually come when she's hungry.
Pigs noses are STRONG... let me repeat STRONG!! get wire up because they will dig to china and back, they are desperately nosy.
She will eat the pig chow when she's hungry... withhold treats until she shows more interest in the chow (she won't go until she starves...) mine are 3 weeks old and nursing and eating. She won't eat your chicks but she may roll on them if they are cuddled with her... but I think your OK she's only tiny and chicks are quick....
as for her water you could put a bit of molasses in it to give her the scent, my pigs will eat anything sweet before their veggies... just like kids and men! You could try mixing milk with some bread cubes to get her started.
as for a dish she won't tip over... I don't think there is one made, I think thats why so many farmers use old bathtubs. Get something low to the ground... with out edges to catch with the nose and you might get a bit longer with it.. think a huge style dog dish that sits flat on the ground. They love to bury themselves when they sleep... give her straw or hay, she'll say OINK.

 

[SuburbanFarmChic]

Water:
We use an old heavy glass baking dish surrounded by bricks for our piglets but they aren't strong enough to bite it yet. Older pigs will snap it in 1/2 and probably eat it. I've heard of some people having success sinking on old bird bath top until it is only an inch or so above ground. Or giving it a bed of bricks or pavers to sit in. Large and concrete is hard to tip. They'll still try.

To catch a pig..

Make a path of least resistance where you want her to go. Basically put some stuff in her way where you don't want her to be and chase her back to the general area where you want her. Rinse and repeat. This will happen 12 times a day until you have a tight pen. Then it will only happen 6.


Fencing:
We found that if we trenched a bit and dropped pallets about 4" down into the ground and then put cinder blocks or railroad ties behind them we could get a fairly pig proof fence that is easy to repair as the pallets degrade. You will want the pallet side ways so that they can't get their noses under a board and work it loose. They are less effective when they try to lever something sideways as up and down.

You can also try a strand or two of electric around the bottom of the inside to keep them off of it. Smear a little peanut butter on the wire for a good lesson in what not to touch.

 

[Hillsvale]

Water:


You can also try a strand or two of electric around the bottom of the inside to keep them off of it. Smear a little peanut butter on the wire for a good lesson in what not to touch.

oooh........ evil!

 

[elieugene6]

How do you remove the auction tag? It kind of looks like its getting tight. Will her ear get infected if I remove it?

 

[SuburbanFarmChic]

Never had to remove that kind, sorry.

 

[Hillsvale]

Ive never bought an animal at the auctions but many of my sheep and goats are tagged, this tag is probably not different so I would probably cut the plastic as close to the ear as possible and the back should just pop through like an earing back. Once complete just squirt with a bit of iodine.... this will not be a one person job (I'm thinking depending on how strong your husband it he may be able to hold if up by one leg if you can work quickly.... for some reason piglets are easier to manage wiggle wise when held up by one leg... some of his weight could be partially suported by a table.

 

[elieugene6]

We got it out. I held her and my fiance cut the metal ring. She was actually amazingly calm. Until I get her permanent home set up I carry her outside in the morning and back in at night so she is getting used to being held. Although she is starting to get a bit heavy.