Anyone keep a few pigs?

[farmer_ben]

I had 6 Oxford Sandy and Black weaners delivered yesterday. We've made a nice big pen for them in one of our woods. Really looking forward to having a few livestock on the farm again.

 

Anyone else keep these pigs? They seem so calm and happy in the woodland. Rooting around for acorns etc

 

They are sure going to taste nice in a few months time

[cousin jack]

I've kept a few in the past, Berkshire's and Tamworth's. Best pork I've ever had. I used to love just watching them, great time wasters.

[archie]

Keeping pigs is expensive but very rewarding... The initial set up is expensive with fencing and pig sty (electric fencing works well as most pigs don't have a lot of hair) Feed is also very expensive - feeding twice a day and ensuring they have fresh water hardwork particularly in winter. I kept Oxford Sandy's and Blacks which were delicious and great for spit roasting because they were kept outdoors and had plenty of fat on them. Tamworths were brilliant escape artists.

 

When you do tree jobs in autumn feed them all apples out of peoples gardens - can use wood chip as bedding and although you are not supposed to I gave all my bread vegetable s and dairy product waste to pigs.

 

On the down side, taking them to slaughter is very sad - and they do make a hell of a mess of the ground.

 

Sadly All my pigs are in the freezer now.... I couldn't face another cold winter for them.

 

Hope that helps - Good luck!

[farmer_ben]

Keeping pigs is expensive but very rewarding... The initial set up is expensive with fencing and pig sty (electric fencing works well as most pigs don't have a lot of hair) Feed is also very expensive - feeding twice a day and ensuring they have fresh water hardwork particularly in winter. I kept Oxford Sandy's and Blacks which were delicious and great for spit roasting because they were kept outdoors and had plenty of fat on them. Tamworths were brilliant escape artists.

 

When you do tree jobs in autumn feed them all apples out of peoples gardens - can use wood chip as bedding and although you are not supposed to I gave all my bread vegetable s and dairy product waste to pigs.

 

On the down side, taking them to slaughter is very sad - and they do make a hell of a mess of the ground.

 

Sadly All my pigs are in the freezer now.... I couldn't face another cold winter for them.

 

Hope that helps - Good luck!

 

thanks for that. wouldn't agree totally with costly set up fees. the pigs are kept in with 2 strands of electric. energiser i got 2nd hand off ebay. nicked a battery we normally use for gas bangers. already had a pigloo (had it for puppies) recycled water and feed toughs. old IBC for water storage. straw - free as bales were rejects from horse people.

 

feed is a problem yes, but managed to get 20kg bags of feed for £4.00 so not to bad. not doing it for profits but shouldn't loose money.

 

do they suffer from the cold badly? we have them in the woods in a snug pigloo and loads of straw. dont really want to bring them into a shed once it gets cold but we can do if needed.

[elfinwood saws]

https://www.facebook.com/pikey56 this is a facebook page for a friend of mine who keeps 40 pigs in his woodland and lives in a caravan with the pigs, he,s happy to talk pigs and help sort problems. Pike is his second name he,s not a *****! isn,t censorship great, but people on here can say stovax stoves are rubbish! and that,s ok? bet Mr. Stovax ain,t to happy about it! Edited October 19, 2011 by elfinwood saws
because of censorship!

[Dave.G.]

We have Tamworths in our woods. Got two breeding sows a couple of years ago and their third litter (10) will be going to planet zanussi next month. We got them in as bramble clearers and the bye product is great pork.