Pigs

Something the small holder often looks into is keeping pigs, they are great to have around, fairly easy to keep and produce some of the finest fair you can think of!

We are testing the water this season and trying it out for ourselves.

We have gathered items required for building their pen and housing. So here we go.

We made this house from 'what we had' some pallets, chipboard, heavy duty plastic and a few bits of wood. We will see how it fairs!

The new pig pen and house, at £6.95 for the coach screws and the rest is recycled, not a bad investment!!

2014 is the ‘pig year’, the first year to have three batches, if only for a short while for some and the year we decide to create some more practical housing and areas, enough for at least 2 batches at any one time.

The saddles left us late January and were pretty good weight wise. In comparison to the blueys, they were definitely a different shape and didn’t finish as quickly but carcases between 60 and 75kg are acceptable. No sooner as they have gone the next batch arrive. 4 blueys, 3 boys 1 girl (Pippa).

The boys did well but Pippa struggled, another lesson learned, same sex or an even split is better, though I still always go for boys!!

These were ‘monsters’ as the haulier called them on collection for the abattoir and came in 65kg for Pippa and 82, 84 and 91 for the boys. Lots of yummy pork!!!

and this gang left early July.

Our latest batch arrived end August and the pictures say it all. One of the runts (a girl no less) had made it to 8 weeks unaided so benefit of the doubt and all, she had to have a fair go. So we took her along with the 4 boys we already had booked. She is a scream, though on the day of arrival we realised after the event, that the fencing and gates were not suitable for wee piglet the size of a Yorkshire terrier!!!! Oh what fun.

WHAT A WEE PIG!!!

PITA as she is known(PAIN IN THE A*S*)

.