help renter left me the pigs!!!

[opportunity]

My renter has gone to prison and his wife is paying me this months rent with the pig and her three 8 week old piglets. When do I take the piglets away from her? Do piglets need anything special, I do not think he has done anything to them. There are two boys and a girl. The babies have long tails compaired to mama, can I let them stay?

[secuono]

I forget when you wean pigs, but you shouldn't have to do anything special right now. No real reason to cut the tails, either.

[ErikaMay]

The reason mom has a shorter tail is because some folks think you need to dock their tails. My understanding is in a commercial piggery the will bite each others tails off then everyone starts biting the bleeding pig and sometimes you end up with a dead pig. But where they have room to explore, eat, move and learn? You don't need to dock because they wont have the bored anti-social behavior, hopefully. They LOVE fresh straw and will chew on it and make awesome soil amendment for you.

Pigs are like super strong 3 year olds: they are clever, social, communicative BUT if they get something in their mind and don't get their way? Piggy temper tantrums can put a hole in your barn. Likewise, if they get mad enough to ttack, like a 3 year old, they arn't sorry until you are really hurt so be careful. Watch their body language and alway have an eye on an escape route. I trust my pigs 95%, but anyone elses? until i know the animal then I'm back to zero trust.

If given a clean area pigs will try to keep their space clean. They will pee near the water so if you can put the water outside of the barn I'd suggest that. If they have access to grass they will happily eat that and it will make their poop stink less.

If the babies are still milking they will need to be weaned sometime soon. Some wean at 4 weeks, others 8, still others 10-12 weeks. I had to force the issue since momma willingly rolled over anytime her babes would ask though I'll admit they grew alot faster with both the feed and milk!

You need to decide if you want the boy to be a boar or barrow. 8 weeks is a little old for "cutting' but if you don't mind risking boar taint, then don't bother. This is my first batch of swine and I'm letting the boars be boars. I'm taking my chances on boar taint, but i am thinking they should be fine if they get butchered at 6 months on pasture.

Worming probably will need to happen, too, if they have been neglected.

If socialized right pigs are alot of fun. If the piglets know and trust you they will invite you to play with them. DO IT. Its fun to play chase and you will be amazed at what little balls of hyper-joy they are. Mine run over to me and flop down on my feet for scratches and attention.

I hope that helps.

[DarleneJ]

You shouldn't need to take the piglets away. Mama will wean them. I never separated mine, except for those I sold off.

[ben70b]

first things first, clean out the freezer!

[highlands]

Leave the tails on. There is no need to dock them. Short tails may be due to docking or due to short tail genetics (recessive). See Piglet Interventions here:

http://sugarmtnfarm.com/2007/02/01/p...interventions/

At eight weeks old they are ready to wean. The easiest way is generally to leave the piglets where they are and wean the sow away by two strong fences with electric. Then keep the piglets happy with food, water, dry bedding and shelter from the sun and rain. Add a little molasses to the water to make it sweet so they'll drink more.

In three days the sow should debag. Then at seven days she should be ready to rebreed if you want to do that. If not, then bring her back up to finish by feeding her well and take her to butcher. She should be delicious with big cuts.

I would deworm them all given they are unknowns. Observe withdrawal times.

At four months you will likely see breeding activity in the piglets but the gilt (female) should not take unless she is a Lolita (early breeder). Most females breed at eight months. Lolitas at six but unusual. To be safe you can slaughter her at four months as a roaster, or the two males as roasters, leaving the other(s) to finish to about 250 lbs live weight.

With unknown genetics there is the possibility of boar taint if you don't castrate. You can reduce that chance by doing a number of things such as:

1) Eat the boars early before they hit puberty as roasters.

2) Eat her early so they aren't around a female.

3) Keep them on pasture so they have a high fiber diet.

4) Do managed rotational grazing - very easy - thus they aren't sitting around eating and inhaling their manure.

You can do multiples of the above to optimize your chances of not getting boar taint. See:

http://www.google.com/search?q=site:...farm.com+taint

The simplest diet is simply commercial hog feed which you'll find at Tractor Supply or your local feed store. Feed them in the evenings to maximize their use of pasture. Pasture will lower your feed bill and reduce the chances of taint as well as improving the flavor and quality of the meat.

At six months (four months from now) the piglets should be ready for butcher.

The simplest thing to do is to sell them all now and avoid all of the above. Depends on if you wan an adventure.

Have fun,

-Walter

[opportunity]

The only pasture I really will have avalible is the pigs following the horse's rotation or with the horse's. I'm up for having pigs I was going to purchase a finished pig from them just didn't think I would do the pigs. I have cows and turkeys so we will work on cleaning out the freezer.