Feeder Pigs 2017

[Baymule]

Monday, February 20th, we bought 3 Red Wattle pigs, 4 months old for $75 each. I found them on Craigslist and we jumped on them quick. Just weaned piglets were listed for $65 to $100! We plan on keeping them probably 3 months and taking them to slaughter. We offered 2 to neighbors and they agreed to pay for their pig and split feed costs. We have a great community!

I have pictures on my husband's phone and will post them later. They are in a half acre pasture that has a patch of woods in it for shade. We went to Tractor Supply and bought a pig feeder. Best feeder ever! The first time we raised pigs, I fed them in a tub. The pigs ate what they could hold, then the crows and birds flew in and ate too. The pigs turned their feed tub over, it got rained on, there was a lot of wasted feed.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/p-2a-economy-hog-feeder

This feeder is a metal hopper with covered top and the feed area has flip up covers that took the pigs about 2 minutes to figure out. And now we aren't feeding the birds! We tied the feeder to a post, so they can't turn it over. I love it!

https://livestockconservancy.org/index.php/heritage/internal/redwattle

http://www.redwattle.com/

 

[luvmypets]

Grats! It will be exciting to see how those feeder pigs turn out.

 

[NH homesteader]

Curious to hear how they end up, a breed I've never seen around here! And btw that is a super price!

 

[Baymule]

Red Wattles aren't a common breed, but since they originated in East Texas, they are pretty easy to find. They are friendly. When we raised Berkshire/Large Black pigs year before last, I was never comfortable in the pen with them. I never went in the pen when I was alone. I carried a stick or pipe as they tried to get behind me. I didn't mind loading them up for slaughter one bit!

https://www.backyardherds.com/threads/feeder-pigs.32154/

So far, these are friendly and I don't have that creepy feeling up my back. I think I'm going to buy a long handled brush so I can give them scratches. Since they practically feed themselves, they don't run to a feed can. If they get out, I want to be able to call them, maybe they'll come for a good scratching.

 

[Baymule]

Another neighbor, Russell wanted a pig too, but didn't have anyplace to put one. He asked if he could get a pig and put it with ours and we said yes. He showed up today with a Hampshire pig that was a show pig cull, he got her for $40. One of our barrows humped her, our gilt ran her around and bit her. She quickly figured out that she is low pig in the pecking order and our pigs settled down.

This Hampshire pig is solid as a rock and she is built like a meat factory. Her front legs are wide set and her shoulders look like a weight lifter's. Her hams are already definitely there and can only get bigger.

I think we'll swap a package of pork chops for a taste comparison. Should be interesting.

 

[NH homesteader]

Introducing pigs always makes me so nervous. They can be vicious!

That will be interesting! We really like the crosses we've gotten which are heritage (GOS mostly) crossed with Duroc. The Durocs are built like that, all muscley, and it offsets some of the fattiness of the GOS. MMMMMM PORK!

 

[OneFineAcre]

I need to get some updated pics of ours.
They have their "appointment" in 3 weeks.

 

[Baymule]

They weren't too rough on her, and today they were more accepting of her. I don't think she has figured out the feeder, I scooped some out and put it in front. She ate it and she is watching the others closely. She'll figure it out.

 

[Baymule]

It took me a week to teach Russell's pig how to eat from the feeder. She didn't like the lid laying across her shoulders and squatted on her front legs until her chin barely was in the feeder. I lifted the lid for to eat several times a day. Then of course my hoodlums would cruise on over to see what's up and bite her so they could "hawg" the feeder for themselves. We had lots of piggy fun, slapping mine so the little Hampshire could eat. We named her J-Lo after Jennifer Lopez, because they both have BIG BUTTS. We came home Friday and J-Lo had her head stuck in the feeder. I was so excited!

This is going to be interesting. My long legged Red Wattles are built for survival under any conditions, J-Lo is built for a pen-feed-me-water-me life. I figure the Hamp will out weigh the Wattles by butcher day......might just have to get Hamps next go-round.

 

[animalmom]

Several years ago we had pigs and used a feeder like the one you have from TSC and while it was convenient to use we found the pigs decided to just lay in front of the feeder with their head in the feeder all the time. Those pigs were, well just piggy. We took the feeder away.

Our mistake was keeping feed in the feeder all the time. I'm sure you are feeding just the amount for the day.