The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: pigglywiggly on September 10, 2010, 02:08:18 pm

Title: Hi
Post by: pigglywiggly on September 10, 2010, 02:08:18 pm

Hi I am new!

I have six hens, a cat and two saddleback pigs .... they are five months old and will be going off in about October/November.  I am at the stage where I am trying to come to terms with the dreaded day - have got my slap marker and trying to find a trailer to borrow/hire etc... but it is quite hard as have become a bit tooooo attached.  Anyway does anyone know how many apples you can give to pigs on a daily basis?  I have been given loads but don't want to make their tummies ache - I don't know if you can overfeed them on apples?

Title: Re: Hi
Post by: faith0504 on September 10, 2010, 02:10:00 pm

hi and welcome  :wave:

Title: Re: Hi
Post by: piggy on September 10, 2010, 03:06:29 pm

Hi and welcome from Suffolk. :wave:

Title: Re: Hi
Post by: plumseverywhere on September 10, 2010, 03:06:38 pm

Hello pigglywiggly  :wave:

welcome to TAS - lots of lovely pig keepers here who will be able to answer that one, afraid I can't help as have goats and chickens and other things but no porkers.

I admire you I really do. was only saying to mr plums last night that if things were different - ie.if I wasnt' so blinkin soft and if he wasnt' a vegemetarian it would be good to keep piggies, let them enjoy the windfalls from our orchard and then fill the freezer with pig meat. sadly it won't happen.
good luck with that final trip - sounds like your pigs have a lovely home and that the days they do have here have been really happy ones  :)
Lisa

Title: Re: Hi
Post by: Hilarysmum on September 10, 2010, 04:35:12 pm

HI and welcome.  Re apples and pigs, if they are not producing soft runny poo then probably the amount of apples are fine. 

Re the dreadful day.  No one will tell you its easy cos its not.  However the things to remember are: 

1.  Your pigs have had the best life you could possibly have given them.  By making sure that the end is quick and dignified you are going way beyond the expectations of supermarket pork.

2.  By eating your own pork and probably offering it to friends and family you are encouraging superior pork and pork production.  I.e. they / you are not eating supermarket intensively reared pork but good healthy outdoor reared.

3.  If you continue and give another 2 pigs a wonderful life ............

Oh one word of warning, pigs are very, very addictive.

Hope all goes well on the day, perhaps you will post on the pig section to let us know how you got on.  HM

Title: Re: Hi
Post by: Daisys Mum on September 10, 2010, 09:59:47 pm

Hi and welcome from the Scottish Borders  :wave: HM is right pigs are addictive I am on my 4th lot, got 3 Oxford Sandy and black boars and boy are they boisterous.

Title: Re: Hi
Post by: HappyHippy on September 10, 2010, 10:03:13 pm

Hello from me in South Lanarkshire  :wave:

Title: Re: Hi
Post by: ballingall on September 10, 2010, 10:51:52 pm

Hello and welcome.

Whereabouts are you based?

I have just got my first piggies last week and ours have already been enjoying the plum and apple windfalls off the fruit trees. They seem to like the plums better though. I had to fight my neices today to stop them picking all the plums off the trees to hand feed to the pigs!


Beth

Title: Re: Hi
Post by: Sandy on September 10, 2010, 11:38:35 pm

 :wave: I love piggies in ALL ways so thankfully no room as we just have a garden and  :chook: :chook: :chook: :chook: :chook: :chook: :chook: :chook: :chook: :chook: :chook: :chook: :chook: :chook: :chook: :chook: :&> :&> :wave:

Title: Re: Hi
Post by: Cinderhills on September 11, 2010, 08:17:33 am

Hi and welcome from North Yorkshire.  :wave: I can't wait for the day when/if we get more land for pigs.

Title: Re: Hi
Post by: littlemisspiggy! on September 11, 2010, 12:44:45 pm

hello from nottinghamshire!!!
pigs are definatly adictive...lol... i only wanted 2,that was a year ago and now i have 11!!!!!....mad
some for pork some are pet kune kunes...
everyone on here is great and really helpful so im sure you'll love being part of it all...x.x.x.x :wave: :pig:

Title: Re: Hi
Post by: Rosemary on September 11, 2010, 07:23:09 pm

Hi and welcome from sunny Carnoustie  :wave:

Title: Re: Hi
Post by: Daveravey on September 12, 2010, 09:38:42 am

Hello from Fife   :wave:   ;D

Title: Re: Hi
Post by: pigglywiggly on September 13, 2010, 05:30:21 pm

Thanks for all the replies... love it!

I live in Surrey and it is quite hard to find like-minded people in this area ... they prefer vacuum packed supermarket stuff.. I will carry on loving my piggies and feeding them apples.  I keep reading Hugh Fearnley's book and know I am doing the right thing!   :pig:   

Title: Re: Hi
Post by: AndynJ on September 14, 2010, 07:25:08 am

Apples cut them down in the last 2 weeks as what they eat can transfer into the meat, feed them garlic every day if you can, if you want addictive try Tamworth's

Title: Re: Hi
Post by: valechickens on September 17, 2010, 07:46:28 pm

Welcome from The Vale of glamorgan
from Valechickens.co.uk

Title: Re: Hi
Post by: woodlandproductsfife on September 29, 2010, 05:40:16 am

welcome from the Kingdom of Fife

Title: Re: Hi
Post by: Mickyork on September 29, 2010, 12:41:00 pm

Hello and welcome from North Yorkshire    8) 8) 8) 8)