[happysam]

Hi there.

I decided to join the forum to get great advice and share ideas on smallholding. I live in Essex with husband (supportive but suspicious of my smallholding dreams), 3 children (excitable but helpful), labrador (crazy crazy crazy) and 4 chickens in a purpose built run in the back garden.

I became interested in raising pigs after coming face to face with some at a local farmers' market, then tasting the meat and being hugely impressed with the flavour of organic, happy meat. I would really like to get a few pigs but:

1) I have no idea how many I should start with . I would like enough so that they were happy, but not so many that we had a glut of meat. It would just be for the family to begin with, then I'd get more pigs if we were any good at it.

2) I have a busy job so wouldn't be able to do all the looking after myself. I could really do with advice on just how much time per day / week / month I or someone else would need to spend on it. I also need to be able to go away for a few weeks at a time several times a year, so if anyone has ideas or experience on how this can be dealt with I would be very grateful. I am quite happy to pay for someone to do the "pig-sitting" if that was what is needed, but am really not sure how I would go about finding this sort of person / labour. I appreciate this all makes me sound like a "fairweather" smallholder   , but I am genuinely keen to produce my own food from happy healthy animals  . Keeping a few chickens suits us well, as they take care of themselves over weekends and my P.A. and I work from home enough of the week for her to do any small jobs that need doing with them when I'm away.

3) I have no idea what the cost of a weaner is

4) I currently don't have enough land but could probably find some locally. How much land would I need for my minimum number of pigs?

Any answers? ideas? advice??? All suggestions welcome and looked forward to.

Many thanks, and great to find such an enthusiastic forum 

[Hilarysmum]

Hi, pigs are my passion, so welcome from me.  How much space, depends on how much space you have available.  A tennis court is the absolute minimum for two happy pigs from weaning to dispatch, the more space the better.  What counts most of course is the quality time you can give them.  Kate (Pigs at la Rues) is possibly in a better position to advise, and Carole uses the services of a pig sitter.

Start with 2, have them killed at the abattoir (thats so you can sell or donate meat to others outside of the immediate household) and enjoy them. 

Feed them well, loads of veggies, plenty of pig food, lots of love and tickles.  At the end of the day its the quality of life that makes the meat great. 

Above all enjoy them.  Thats what smallholding is all about - no one does it for the money thats a certainty!!!

Welcome HM

[MrRee]

Welcome! Some fab people here with some marvellous ideas and a wealth of experience. 

With regards your wish to keep pigs........ 2 weaners (cost anywhere between 50-100 pounds each depending on breeding) will comfortably fit into an enclosure 25m x 25m for 4-6 months thoughout the summer,will need 1lb of feed per day for every month of age (ie 3 month old pig needs 3lb of food per day) to a maximum of 9lb per day (someone correct me on that if I'm wrong,no books to hand). Timewise,it takes me 10 minutes a day to feed and water them,I change their bedding as and when needed (but they're very clean and mess outside). They're actually a lot less hassle than my two dogs,so finding someone with a bit of common sense to look after them whilst you travel shouldn't be hard. Try to source your pigs from as local as you can get,from a reputable breeder,so you have a support mechanism in times of worry.
 The thing I realised after embarking on keeping these first two,is the initial start up costs for fencing and posts,electric fencing,food and water buckets,food and bedding and obviously buying the weaners too. Butchery costs and meat processing costs will come later (ie buying a mincer,sausage maker,the skins etc etc) Luckily,I already had accommodation in the form of a barn,but factor in that too.
  Ok,so the first two pigs will cost out more expensive than buying free range organic pork from a butcher in town (or at least on par) but after that,the two I get next year,will only cost around 120 pounds for around 300lb of meat.

Good luck,keep us updated,and once again,welcome.......... Ree

[Rosemary]

Hello and welcome,

6lb per day per weaner maximum, but other than that I'd agree with all thaht's been said before.

Enjoy and keep us up to date with your progress.

[stephen]

hey welcome to the forums! 

[carole]

Hi and welcome from us in Brittany. Whatever animals you decide to keep they are a full time commitment. Iam lucky to have found a retired couple who are fansinated by what we are doing and enjoy spending time helping, which is great when we need a day off to visit friends etc.
Good luck and please continue to fill us in on what you decide

Carole

[happysam]

Wow! What helpful info you've all given me. Lots of food for thought there... Also, thank you for not telling me to just buy organic meat rather than trying to do it myself. Most encouraging. Thank you again.

Sam
 

[Wildman]

Hi, I have 4 Saddle Backs and 2 G old spot x saddle Back. Thay are a joy, we feed them on Bannans Qs greens and the pig feed. What part of Essex are you in we are near Stansted?

[Malc]

I've got some Saddleback weaners for sale. The snag is, I'm in Orkney!

Seriously, go for it. You won't regret it, I promise. As has already been said, make sure you get properly set up with decent housing (warm, dry, draught-free) and an electric fence will make life so much easier (find a good-quality agricultural supplier or ask for recommendations on the forum here). You may flinch at the cost (an arc is around £250, electric fencing for a paddock £150-ish), but those are one-offs. It really is worth it.

Good luck.

[Wildman]

I made our arks from old plywood we had. We did have a good bit of it so I did not have to buy anything.