The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: Roxy on February 08, 2011, 10:12:47 pm
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Nearly time to get my two piglets!!! Their shelter is ready for them, was Abel the goats home .....hope they like it, they will probably not know what to do with all the space though, as its quite large. Not sure what Primrose, Poppy and Barnie the young goats will say - they will be able to see them over the half door.
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Oh, they'll know what to do alright Roxy ;) ;D
A couple of my Kune Kune piglets went to a home with a goat, they now all share the same shed - until the goat gets fed up with them and moves to the other shed ::) ;D
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Hope there will be pictures of goats and piglets together sounds lovely
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We get our two gos weaners a week on sunday. Spent today trying to sort out the shabby fencing left by the previous owners. Already have tennis elbow not sure what state i'll be in tomorrow!! but all good fun ;D
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ooh, Roxy ... why, what are you getting?!! ;) :)
our pigs live with the goats for a while, long story, and if you remember Murphy the boar kind of outstayed his welcome with them (wanted to give the girls chance to mature, then he got ill ::) )
just mind they dont get into each others food ....
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Oh yes, Murphy was in with your goats when I visited!!
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He loved in there ... then got abit too kinky with them! and the amount of food he stole wasnt good for him ::)
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Primrose and Poppy would have a shock if we put Murphy in with them - if he stole their food, they would get a dose of their own medicine - like they put Barnie through.
I thought I told you I was having two piglets?!! Oh yes, I am ......from some nice people in Derbyshire. Now what were their names .....you may have heard of them?
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hmm, not sure. do the pigs look abit like this? only muddier!
(http://i614.photobucket.com/albums/tt228/RuthP/th_SAM_0246.jpg) (http://s614.photobucket.com/albums/tt228/RuthP/?action=view¤t=SAM_0246.jpg) (http://i614.photobucket.com/albums/tt228/RuthP/th_P1010014.jpg) (http://s614.photobucket.com/albums/tt228/RuthP/?action=view¤t=P1010014.jpg) (http://i614.photobucket.com/albums/tt228/RuthP/th_SAM_0250.jpg) (http://s614.photobucket.com/albums/tt228/RuthP/?action=view¤t=SAM_0250.jpg) (http://i614.photobucket.com/albums/tt228/RuthP/th_PA170034.jpg) (http://s614.photobucket.com/albums/tt228/RuthP/?action=view¤t=PA170034.jpg)
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;D cute or what?
Er .....hubby is expecting little tiny things........I sort of led him to think they are only diddy, and now I don't think they are as diddy as I said. Oh well, it will be a nice surprise for hubby!!
Not sure how he will be with pigs. We were at the animal sanctuary the other week. I always make a bee line for the two resident pigs. Give them a good scratch over the door. The sight of the large boar ambling towards me, well, the look of alarm on hubbys face. And no, he did not offer to scratch either pig.
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well, they are smaller than when he came and fed the girls apples tell him!
they are about, erm, the height of say a west highland terrier but much, much rounder!
(thinking perhaps I'd better check tomorrow and tell you abit more accurately, so you know they'll be ok in the truck!)
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Plenty of room in the van, don't worry!!! Had alot bigger things in there, believe me.
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I'm sure!
they'll probably be happier in a crate, to stop them rolling round!
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Collected my two little girlies today.
It was hard to choose - they were all so nice. But we got one of the spotty ones and the ginger one.
All went very smooth. Little Blue calmly picked up the chosen piglets, there was no wiggling or squealing. Unloaded them this end, and again, they were well behaved. Tucked into their tea, and ate the lot. Goats and llama very interested in the grunting coming from the goat shelter ........and probably the neighbours over the lane will be equally puzzled by the strange noise too!!
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Oh you'll be smitten :love:
Kunes have the most wonderful natures - I hardly hear mine make a noise (especially compared to the Large Blacks :o)) doesn't matter if you're picking them up, brushing them or injecting them - they just seem to take it in their stride.
Keep us posted with how they get on :wave:
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Congratulations on the 2 :pig: :pig: :D
When we went to pick up our new weaners I saw Kune Kune's up close for the 1st time - they do look very cute ;D I didn't realise how much hairy-er (?) they are on the face compared to other pigs.
Enjoy - we are loving our new girls ;D ;D
Tish
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A lot of people write off Kune Kune's as 'pets' - way to cute, couldn't possibly eat that and oh my - expensive bacon :-\
Can I put forward a case FOR keeping Kunes for meat (okay, so I know I'm biased, since I have them - but hear me out ;))
1) They don't tend to root up the land as much as a 'standard' pig.
2) They do not require the same amount of feed as 'standard' pigs.
In fact standard pig feed has too high a protien level and is inclined to make then run to fat. I feed mine on wheat feed pellets (which are cheaper than pig nuts) at half the amount for 'standard' pigs (ie. half a pound for each month of age) only when there is no grass or supply of fruit and veg. They will grow well on good grass and a suppliment of fruit and veg during most of the year.
3) They can be housed in a smaller area and with a smaller house than 'standard' pigs (meaning you can fit more in ;) ;D)
4) They're REALLY hardy ! My adults have been out ALL winter and up here in Scotland there's been a few -20 C nights and deep snow - they cope brilliantly with it, being so hairy.
The meat is wonderfull - full of flavour and well worth sampling. So although it's a slightly higher outlay and they take longer to reach slaughter size (10 months onwards) there are big savings to be made in terms of feeding and butchering charges - I've not worked out exactly how the numbers stack up - but I'm sure they won't work out any more expensive than 'standard' pigs.
So c'mon guys, give the little guys good consideration when buying your next weaners !
(Just as a matter of coincidence, I've got a litter due soon ;) ::) ;D :love: :pig:)
Karen
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I have to say I surprised myself at how easily they were caught & picked up. they were very well behaved (the piglets, as well as Roxy and her husband! ;) ) and it went very smoothly.
kunes are definitely my choice of pig, such lovley natured little (!) things & really laid back.
Roxy, they'll be sitting on your knee before you know it! its fine when they're small, but Mildred still creeps up for a cuddle when I'm in with them (and least expect it!)
they need names now ... ::D
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When I got to the field this morning, not a sound from the pig pen ......eek, I was worried, had they escaped, or died of shock at travelling? (yes, that thought did flash through my mind!) Peered oiver the gate, and snuggled up in the hay, fast asleep, side by side they were. Oh, their little faces .......
They even slept through the racket when the llama escaped into the lane, and I gave chase yelling and shouting!!
Piglets woke up when they heard me next door with the goats buckets. Ate breakfast, had a shuffle round and spent the afternoon fast asleep until tea .....
They soon cottened on who I was (food supplier!) and at tea time had worked out I came through the gate, and were standing there waiting. The spotted piglet even let me stroke her.
No names yet, but I prefer the old fashioned names......
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When Hilary arrived we established her and her neutered brother into an ark. Eventually left them to sleep. In the morning went to feed them. They had gone. Searched the holding, searched neighbouring fields, searched the village (calling pig pig pig and banging a bucket - think that was when village finally decided we were mad English) returned home mentally battered, totally distraught. To find our builder making a fuss of our two pigs who had spent a very comforable night in the centre of the large pampas grass.
Pigs are just wonderful
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Seeeeee!! Memoirs, please!! :love: :pig: :love:
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they all know the sound of a bucket!
Eve ... if you can't wait for Roxy to unpack the camera leads from storage ( ;) ) then there's photos of the piglets on the first page.
you may have gathered by now, they were bred by me my pigs!