The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: MiriMaran on May 03, 2009, 08:39:54 pm

Title: How many meals should weaners have a day?
Post by: MiriMaran on May 03, 2009, 08:39:54 pm

At the moment I'm feeding my weaners 3 times a day, but would like to cut it down to 2, but want to do the right thing by the pigs.  What should I do?

Title: Re: How many meals should weaners have a day?
Post by: dixie on May 03, 2009, 09:52:25 pm

Twice a day will be fine! They might shout at the missed feed at first but they will soon get over it!

Title: Re: How many meals should weaners have a day?
Post by: Hilarysmum on May 04, 2009, 06:48:06 am

If they are more than 8 weeks old definitely reduce down to 2.  It may be that you could reduce the middle feed as you increase the early and late one.  Sounds like your pigs are having a luxurious life.

Title: Re: How many meals should weaners have a day?
Post by: Rosemary on May 04, 2009, 09:03:51 am

I feed mine twice a day with a fruit / veg snack at lunchtime but that's just because I happen to be there.

Title: Re: How many meals should weaners have a day?
Post by: Pigtails on May 04, 2009, 02:39:02 pm

Ours are fed once a day afterwhich they forage all day,
on occasion and only in very severe weather, when they cannot get out, do we give extra feeding.

Title: Re: How many meals should weaners have a day?
Post by: MiriMaran on May 04, 2009, 05:25:03 pm

Great thanks.  I'm doing just as you suggested Hilary's Mum, slowly decreasing the middle meal and increasing the other two.  I didn't think they needed the middle feed as they never seem desperate for it.  I've been spoiling them!!

Title: Re: How many meals should weaners have a day?
Post by: Hilarysmum on May 04, 2009, 06:23:35 pm

Thats the joy of pigs, spoiling them..

Title: Re: How many meals should weaners have a day?
Post by: MiriMaran on May 04, 2009, 07:04:51 pm

I gave them some carrots and a couple of apples today - they didn't know whether to roll them round the ground or eat them.  They eventually made the sensible decision after seeing the chickens tucking in to the apples!