[Helencus]

So now I've finally figured out how to post piccies here are my girls 1st 2 pics and bonking Boris last 2 

[princesspiggy]

well done -took me ages to do it too. theyre lovely! 

[Helencus]

They are,  sadly looks like my OH is going to insist that I sell Boris but he is such a sweetheart and soooo handsome. 

[faith0504]

oh they are lovely, 

[Hilarysmum]

But if you sell Boris you are either going to have to take the girls to the boar (loads of hassle and the risk of bringing back disease) or hire in a boar, again hassle, expense and risk of disease or AI can be very expensive when it doesnt work first time.

Point out all the difficulties, the expense, the costs, compared with the small amount of feed Boris requires to keep him in tip top condition as a piglet producing machine.

(Please everyone dont take offence at my comments they are a wee bit tongue in cheek)

[Helencus]

I know HM but that suits him fine he wants me to stop and if I won't sell Kim and Aggie keep as pets only :-((

[robert waddell]

Hi Helencus,
Why does your oh want you to get rid of your pigs? Surely to have good bacon & sausages on his sunday breakfast plate and knowing how the pigs have been looked after through to slaughter out weighs his attitude. Remember when he goes to the super market he does not know the welfare standard of the animals, what they have been fed on, how they have been treated and the taste of produce when cooked. Also who is the one that attends to them, I know if my oh said this to me he would have a serious talking too

[Helencus]

Usually it's me that looks after them (other than eve feed which I prepare) but since breaking my ankle he has had to. It's not that hard but I think he's just feeling it as we have horses and chickens and dogs too. He's also worried that we haven't sold any weaners and he didn't want to have to take 2 large litters to slaughter weight.
My response is we can afford to feed them(wouldn't have done it otherwise), we have the space and I can Market the meat with friends and family and around the village and buy several big freezers..
The later is more expense but I work full time and I'll pay for it. I would also stagger the litters a bit next time only by a month or two but not have so many ready at once and for now just 1 a year.
So your right Lillian serious talking to I think.. Thanks for helping me find my backbone as it matters very much to me that I know the welfare of my meat.

[HappyHippy]

The other thing to point out to him is that this is your first litter.
Like all businesses things take a while to get established. As word spreads and your advertising gets noticed you will make more sales. Get some A4 posters printed up (you can do them yourself, they don't need to be expensive) and get out and about in your local area - post offices, vets, feed supply places, community noticeboards etc etc etc It's still just a wee bit early in the year for folks to be looking for thier own weaners imho. I always think along the lines of born Feb/March weaned May/June ready for slaughter November/December, so hang on and see what the early summer brings. Just remember to recalculate your prices to account for all the extra feeding. The only slight dissadvantage I can see with your breeding quality gilts/boars are they've not been notched, so maybe pedigree breeders/showers would be put off that they couldn't show your pigs (it's only a maybe though, I might be being extra picky )
Hang in there and fight him (nicely) on it !
Karen x

[Hilarysmum]

My OH was dead against pigs and it took me 2 years to convince him, then finally he relented for a weekend, by the time he had changed his mind back on the following Monday pigs were booked and by the Friday he was looking Hilary in the eye and the rest is history.  He adores them all now. 

Try feeding him cheap supermarket bacon, sausages and pork (dont punish yourself by eating them) as opposed to the really great stuff you produce.  Stand firm.  It takes a long time to build up a herd, dont allow it to be dispersed.   

[Blonde]

So now I've finally figured out how to post piccies here are my girls 1st 2 pics and bonking Boris last 2 

I have been trying but not cracked the code on how to do it, could you please share the secret.....I would be ever so grateful......

[HappyHippy]

Blonde,
When you're typing a reply there's an additional options bit, click that and it gives you the option to upload. The photo's have to be quite small, I usually re-size mine to about 40% or else the 'system' tells me there's an error.
A word of caution - if you've typed a great big long response and want to add the photo's, highlight and copy the text before you add the photo's. This way if your reply gets lost cos the photo's are too big you don't need to type it all out again (It's happened to me more than once  )
HTH
Karen x

[Helencus]

Thanks ladies as ever sound advice. Funnily enough I have done an A 4 poster and started posting it about the feed merchants. I had 1 enquiry for some but want me to keep til mid April which is fine so long as they cover the feed.
It's all a learning curve but I'm going to quietly get on with it and do my thing.. Oh doesn't need to stress I'm just going to carry on. Boris is staying put he'll thank me when he tastes the sausages ! We ventured out for a meal tonight lovely pub and I had the pork.., so disappointing tescos 3 for 10 quid couldn't eat it.. So plan is talk to the landlord when I'm back on my feet were regulars so he's a friend  ;
Also our local pub landlord walks his dog past the pig pens every day and he's asked about pork so I'm confident so long as I produce a quality product we will do ok.
I'm actually quite excited about the challenge of building up the pork side of it 

[Sandy]

THe first pic of 2 pigs I thought was a mirror image until I looked a bit closer, love the mucky nose!! Like piggies myself but no chance of having one other than those in the freezer.

[Joe11]

They look really great and such little (or not so little) characters. Love the second shot but they're all really good  and the paddock looks like piggy heaven