| Author | Content |
glevely
Sanford, MI (Zone 5a)
November 22, 2011 5:22 AM Post #8901165
| now what to do I know nothing about raising her !!! what to feed is the big one I want her to get big she weighs around 80 lbs. right now . please help
Gloria |
porkpal
Richmond, TX
November 22, 2011 5:55 AM Post #8901201
| Purina (and I'm sure many others) makes a Pig Starter-Grower. Fed at the right rate your pig can gain one pound for every three pounds of feed she eats. |
terri_emory
Alba, TX (Zone 8a)
November 22, 2011 7:24 AM Post #8901305
| I know very little about pigs, but congratulations on your win! What kind of pit is it? |
glevely
Sanford, MI (Zone 5a)
November 22, 2011 7:43 AM Post #8901339
| thank you !! Terri I'm not sure what kind she is ;0)I just know I need a lot of info on pigs lol |
green04735
Bridgewater, ME
November 22, 2011 12:39 PM Post #8901648
| Most important pigs are hard to catch,make sure she is confined well.They like table scraps.They are very smart,I think smarter than dogs.f you plan on eating her don`t become to attached to her.If you go to your feed store they will be able to help you with her food.I don`t know if they are cold tolerent we always butchered in the fall |
porkpal
Richmond, TX
November 22, 2011 2:05 PM Post #8901735
| Pigs handle cold well as long as they have a dry place to get out of the wind. |
Doug9345
Durhamville, NY (Zone 5b)
November 22, 2011 2:42 PM Post #8901775
| Other things to know about pigs.
They are omnivores. I think they will gladly eat anything we will eat and lots of stuff beside.
They root. This means they dig with their nose. It won't take a single pig that long to root up a 50' by 100' yard.
If they get loose they like things like your neighbors expensive flowers.
They aren't particularly vicious but they can bite a lot harder than they look like they can.
In the summer they need some shade as they will sun burn.
Your 80 lb pig should be around 225 lb in 4 or 5 months.
You can't really drag a pig anywhere. There not much to grab a hold of, they are built close to the ground and they have 4 wheel drive. If you have to get them somewhere slap a 5 gallon pail over their head. They'll try to back out of it and you can back them where you want them.
|
glevely
Sanford, MI (Zone 5a)
November 23, 2011 3:25 AM Post #8902381
| thank you every one !!! she has a new DRY house to stay in and lots of pig starter and cracked corn I work at a store so she will have veggies and day old bread
every one says I can't name her ( LILy)) and I can't viset her becouse we are not going to make her another of my pets ;0(
|
ZZsBabiez
Lodi, CA (Zone 9b)
November 25, 2011 8:44 AM Post #8904994
| OMG Doug that is so funny! and a tidbit of very important info.. I love pigs.. I'd be in the same boat, cause I know nothing about them... Sure made me laugh!!
|
CajuninKy
Biggs, KY (Zone 6a)
November 26, 2011 6:03 PM Post #8906970
| We raised 2 pigs for the freezer, Pork Chop and Sparerib, and they never got any pig feed. We raised them on horse feed (sweet mix), soaked beet pulp, whole corn and kitchen scraps. Those hogs grew like you wouldn't believe! At just over a year old the 2 of them dressed out at a combined 548#. And the leanest meat you could ever hope for. Not even enough fat to render lard. |
glevely
Sanford, MI (Zone 5a)
November 27, 2011 4:13 AM Post #8907357
| Now thats what I'm talking about Pork chops and Bacon !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!;0) |
jeanniejayne
Smyrna, DE
January 3, 2012 11:19 AM Post #8952891
| Doesn't sound like CajunKy got much in the way of bacon! And Doug, you should write humor. A bucket on the head and back them around! Who'd have thought!
I never thought I'd be able to slaughter a chicken either, but one mean Easter Egger Roo who attacked me one too may times and never shut up changed that. I am a nurse and knew how to use a scalpel for sharp debridement, so it wasn't too much of a leap. But roo skin is really tough! You have to just keep a calm head and a steady hand. The hens were harder psychologically, but I still am sure they have a better life ( and death) with us, free ranging and living like chickens were meant to live, and not in some cage the size of a piece of typing paper their whole lives, never feeling the sun on their backs,a breeze in their feathers, enjoying a dust bath or scratching for bugs. |
terri_emory
Alba, TX (Zone 8a)
January 3, 2012 12:13 PM Post #8952940
| jeaniejayne, the description of backing a hog around using a bucket reminded me of a similar description of hog propulsion but using a trash can found in the "All Creatures Great and Small" books. I think this story involved Tristan and an angry sow, but its been quite a while since I've re-read those books =)!
Gloria, how's the pig doing? |
porkpal
Richmond, TX
January 3, 2012 12:22 PM Post #8952953
| The bucket-on-the-head system is a tried and true technique. If you use a rubber bucket it even helps muffle the resulting ear-splitting protests. |
glevely
Sanford, MI (Zone 5a)
January 3, 2012 12:25 PM Post #8952963
| thank you for asking ;0) Lily will soon be pork chops ;0( she goes on monday for her one and only adventure too sad she is was so cute . Now shes a BIG girl and the men folk said its time !!! I say NOT she weighs around 200 lbs |
terri_emory
Alba, TX (Zone 8a)
January 3, 2012 1:22 PM Post #8953043
| That sounds like a pretty good weight. It is hard to disconnect from just one market animal, no matter if it is a hog or a steer. To me that it the hardest part of farming/homesteading. It is easier for me to disconnect and still really take good care of several market animals. I can't explain why. |
CajuninKy
Biggs, KY (Zone 6a)
January 6, 2012 7:38 PM Post #8957519
| We had our bacon smoked and it was great. Plenty of it too. |
glevely
Sanford, MI (Zone 5a)
January 7, 2012 4:29 AM Post #8957772
| I'm going to smoke all the hams Bacon and hocks where I work I cut meat for a living !! shes going to a place where they DO THE DEED then I'll take care of the rest I LOVE bacon |
green04735
Bridgewater, ME
January 7, 2012 2:14 PM Post #8958355
| So nice to have your own meat. |
CajuninKy
Biggs, KY (Zone 6a)
January 7, 2012 6:18 PM Post #8958607
| It tastes so much better knowing what went into it. |
glevely
Sanford, MI (Zone 5a)
January 8, 2012 5:09 AM Post #8958927
| yes it is and with the price of meat going up all the time its some what cheaper beef is going up every week with no end in sight ;0( |
CajuninKy
Biggs, KY (Zone 6a)
January 14, 2012 8:54 AM Post #8967262
| With the price of feed so high, if you can pasture an animal you can come out way ahead and get a superior product. Rabbits are a good meat animal. |
glevely
Sanford, MI (Zone 5a)
January 22, 2012 4:16 PM Post #8978091
| had to let you all know we had HAM for dinner tonight yyuumm poor Lily ;0(
LOL |
Light_for_Jesus
(Zone 6b)
January 25, 2012 7:05 PM Post #8982423
| Congrats. |
terri_emory
Alba, TX (Zone 8a)
January 26, 2012 2:05 PM Post #8983207
| Sounds good to me, too! |
green04735
Bridgewater, ME
January 26, 2012 2:06 PM Post #8983209
| Oh I bet it was good |
glevely
Sanford, MI (Zone 5a)
January 26, 2012 4:26 PM Post #8983366
| yuuuup she was but I don,t think I'll go into the business ;0) |
CajuninKy
Biggs, KY (Zone 6a)
January 27, 2012 8:11 AM Post #8984017
| Glad she came out well. I don't take pleasure in eating our animals but I don't feel guilty about it. I take good care of them while they are with me and give them a good life. After death they are "giving back" so to speak. |
glevely
Sanford, MI (Zone 5a)
January 27, 2012 4:29 PM Post #8984651
| I feel sort of guilty but she tastes good and the bacon is some of the nicest I have ever smoked at work every one was suprised realy meaty and the pork chops are very nice sized
|
