I raised three last year and quit going in the pen to feed them because they grabbed at my legs and torn my jeans. They all went to the butcher at around 250 pounds. Never,ever again.....
One reason why I don't raise pigs, and try not to eat them either.
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I'm an environmentalist, left wing, Ron Paul loving Prius driver with a farm. If you have a problem with that, kindly go take a leap.
A man was killed years ago in WI, he was feeding on a "new" program being promoted, feeding your pigs every 3-5 days. The idea was to save on feed and "recycle" manure. Did not make for happy pigs. We feed at the same time twice a day, bred for good dispositions, and never had any problem.
Knew a guy used to stand among his hogs and hand feed them.One swiped his head sideways at another hog,sliced the guys leg wide open.Just under 200 stiches. Thank goodness he was able to get into the back of his truck that was filled with the Bakery day olds that he fed. Want to read up on how hogs like human flesh, Canadian Serial killer.
Knew a guy used to stand among his hogs and hand feed them.One swiped his head sideways at another hog,sliced the guys leg wide open.Just under 200 stiches. Thank goodness he was able to get into the back of his truck that was filled with the Bakery day olds that he fed. Want to read up on how hogs like human flesh, Canadian Serial killer.
Hogs, will eat anything put in front of them, mine got one of my chickens last year. I have had hogs, only have 6 now on this farm since I was a young girl, and while I trust them for the most part, I know on any given day I could become chow! Mine are docile and friendly, and love belly scratches and treats, but I stay outside their pasture when I am giving them such.
Scaring people and posting the likes of the Canadian Serial Killer don't help, he used the pigs and just general decomposition to dispose of his victims, it wasn't like the hogs went on a wild rampage and killed those women Robert Pickton killed them!!!
My Mom tells the story of how, when I was just shy of two years old I came up missing. My Dad raised hogs in the A frame houses on pasture at that time. When she found me I was standing on the side of a sow, who was lying down nursing her piglets. Very quietly and slowly my Mom called me to come to her. I made it, obviously, but if one of those piglets had squealed, well, I wouldn't be telling this. These were big huge sows and later when I was old enough, I was the one who helped the sows give birth. Wiped their faces and set them to the teat. Nothing like having a big old sow come whuffing at you cause she thinks you're going to harm her babies.
On our farm it happened that the pigs killed and ate a chicken and a new puppy who got into their pen. Literally tore them apart. That is also why most hog raisers will cut out certain teeth and dock the tail. Ever see the back end of a young pig chewed out by his pen mates?
Yeah....mm....Never, Never trust a pig. Even a docile pet type pig.
God bless,
jd
Ok so this was a sport back in the pre civil war days. This is a nasty post so if sqemish stop reading. slave owners would buy small children and wager as to how long they could survive in the arena. Much like dog and chicken fights now. That is why as civilized people we raise them in cages to slaughter. I once saw a 600lb sow bust thru a cross fence made of telephone poles to bite the ear off another sow that had harmed her young. It is soo sad this man died.
As a six year old, I went with my Dad and older brother ( 15 ) to a farm to buy 2 small pigs. I declined the offer to get in the pen and help pick out the pigs because that sow didn't act very friendly to me. That farmer steped behind a really big tree about 60 feet from me to take a leak. I couldn't see him but that sow did. She charged and took IT off. He probable had to sit to pee after that.
Too bad what happened to the farmer. Pigs are omnivores, meat is on their menu, even human meat - under the wrong circumstances. Chickens are omnivores, too - be glad your hens aren't the size of ostriches!
__________________ It is still best to be honest and truthful; to make the most of what we have; to be happy with the simple pleasures and to be cheerful and have courage when things go wrong.
Laura Ingalls Wilder
I've been in the farrowing barns at U of M. You open the door,turn on the light,those Sows want to eat you as you walk by. They are fed a ration of feed ,and they want more.
The only thing I have fed to a pig that they wouldn't eat-racoon.
People look at me funny when I tell them pigs/hogs are the most dangerous critters on a farm. They all think pigs are like Babe or Porky.
They are thick skulked heavily muscled with a mouth full of teeth and will try to eat anything they can get into that mouth.
Now with that said we've raised several of them which would come up and sit like a dog and wait for the wife to give them a treat or a scratch. But even those were never allowed to get behind you.
We've raised hogs. I've had them gang up on a smaller pig and eat it. The only thing that was left was the head/skull. yech. That being said, We never went in the pen with them. THey were all fed over the fence.
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