[karthomp]

Having recently purchased our first two weaners (OSBs) i have a couple of questions.
They both seem happy little piglets and are eating thier pellets but seem disinterested in carrots, apples or pears.  I suspect they have not been given food of this type before but still this surpirsed me a little.  Do you find this to be normal?  I have removed any uneaten food and have tried today cutting up an apple inot very small pieces.  If they dont want them then i'll take them for the horses but still i thought they might fancy somehting a bit different!
Ditto how much time would you expect the little ones to sleep for?  Thye are not early birds and are usually still asleep when i go down to feed them.  They seem to then go out for a bit and then go back to bed for a hour or two around lunctime (I've just been to check on them and they're actually snoring).  They then rise again mid afternoon and potter and play about until dusk.  They are 7 weeks old so still very young but does this sound normal to you experienced pig people?

Thanks
xx

[oaklandspigs]

Pigs are crepulscular - that is most active at dawn and dusk, so the behavior you decsribe is quite normal, with pertiods of sleep and then some activity.

We find that pigs are quite individual in tase, with some loving stuff that others hate. Also if they are not hungry and you are offering apples and pears as additional then it may simply be appetite - remember when you have had a really big meal and feel completely full and someone offer you something more - you will say no even though you love it.  Try feeding the extras before you feed them their supper.

 

[robert waddell]

well fed pigs sleep a lot      hungry pigs will root and squeal for food  also hungry pigs will eat anything

[MAK]

Yep as above - Pigs certainly have a very different hypothalmus compared to us. Amongst other things it regulates circadian rhythms, sleep and appetite ( and satiety).
Like us they may adapt or entrain their sleep with behavioural prompts like the sound of the bucket and breakfast time - but with their stomach loaded they will probably sleep after a meal.
I'm sure they will be fine - as above they will eat if hungry and will let you know if they want food.

[daveh]

Pigs will eat what they want to eat. My last two OSBs didn't do what all the pig books say. They would not look at a carrot which pigs are supposed to die for. On the other hand they loved chewing the remains of brussel sprout stalks and would happily eat a cabbage which they are not supposed to like. Stringy celery and celeriac unfit for human consumption went down a treat. Obviously the pigs had not read any pig books.

Regards,
Dave

[SallyintNorth]

Forgive me for being blunt, but pigs refusing fresh veg could quite possibly be overfed pigs - how much weaner ration are you giving them?   

I'm not an expert, having reared just two OSBs, one to pork weight and the other to become a breeding sow, but in my limited experience, OSBs being medium-sized pigs, I found that just under a pound of cake per pig per month of age up to a maximum of just under 4lbs cake per pig per day was sufficient for free-range weaners with free access to plenty of straw, hay, grass, roots, etc and being given plenty of veg.  They were hungry enough to be active and pleased to see you and beg for treats (bananas for Meg, apples for Gaby) but not ravenous - and didn't lay down too much fat. 

The experts on here say you should calculate 4lbs fruit and veg to replace 1lb cake, so for more than a handful of fresh fruit and veg, the cake ration should be adjusted down accordingly.

At 7 weeks I'd have been feeding about one-and-a-half pounds of 22% weaner pellet per pig per day.  I'd up those figures if the weather was cold, and if the pigs had no access to foraged food. 

Meg is currently (fingers crossed) just in pig again, so has been on increased rations in the pre- and post-hogging few weeks.  She's sleeping a lot, rarely out and about except at mealtimes.  Next week her rations go back to normal, and we'll see a lot more of her out and about rootling in her paddock.

[nelson]

 
Hi Karthomp

From your post it is obvious that you are getting to know - their likes and dislikes, and by watching them you will certainly get to know if something is wrong.
How long have you had them? - it will take a few days to get use to your pig food and environment.
I tend to ad lib and split my weaner food into three meals for the first couple of weeks as they are use to mum feeding them when ever. I also keep an eye on the poo of the weaners (always looking at the back end) - which will tell me how the diet is going. We also introduce fruit and veg in small doses.
The one thing I have noticed about the OSBs is that they (mine) do sleep a lot and are generally realaxed (lazy). They also graze and do not seem to dig.  this is compared to my Berkshires.....that said they are delightful.

Wish you well with yours 

[sabrina]

When my 2 weaners came I tried them out on bananas and pears and they loved them. later on added apples, carrots and other veg. anything not to their taste was pushed aside. Beetroot became a favorite but not cabbage.

[karthomp]

Thanks all
Nelson "graze and not dig" - I dont think mine have read that hand book!!  Yesterday one had her head burrowed that deeply under the grass and soil you could only see her ears!!
I might try bananas - they have eaten a bit more of the fruit i have put out of rthme but they seme to be having far more fun digging up the grass and eating wehatever they find under it.  They seem to be getting a lot more active so hopefully they are settling down - they do make me laugh as they chase the dog and bark at her!!

[Tiva Diva]

Our OSBs are quite individual in their likes and dislikes: some love carrots, others don't touch them (though I must say they all like apples). I second what Sallyintnorth says about feeding. And ours dig too, though not as much as the long-snouted pigs (mangalitzas & tamworth/berkshire cross) that we've had. Enjoy your pigs!