March 13, 2015

Moving Day For Pigs

The completion of our hedgerow fencing project was timely because it was time to move the pigs. Their home of the past winter had been nicely pig plowed (or at least as much as the two of them were likely to do), so it was time to get it ready for planting. The first step was moving the pigs to the next paddock we want them to work on, on the other side of the property.

Click to enlarge a bit

But how? Pigs can't be led nor driven, but they'll follow food anywhere! We used the Hansel and Gretel method; I led the way with a trail of corn, while Dan opened and closed the gates.






Dinner awaited them when they arrived.

Waldo and Polly seem very happy in their new area. We left all the spilled hay and straw in the goat shelter for them. They love burrowing into it at night. During the day they've been busy rooting and eating.

Once the ground dries out a bit in the old pig pasture we can finish preparing the soil to plant. I'm looking forward to that.

22 comments:

Chris said...

They're not fully grown yet, are they? Do you think they'll double in size again?

They look so cute next to each other and so calm too. Glad this went off without a hitch.

Where did the goat inhabitants go? This is the buck shed, isn't it?

Dawn said...

When we moved ours we screed the door closed on there pig ark and towed it with the tractor to new pastures, the whole thing was like a military operation as we had to sneak up on them while sleeping to close the ark there were ties we failed and tried again the next day :-)

Farmer Barb said...

The best leash on the planet is the stomach!

Leigh said...

Chris, good questions. This is a small breed with full grown weight around 200 lbos. Waldo and Polly are getting close. They have mild, calm temperaments as far as pigs goes, which helps! That shelter housed bucks last summer, and the does this past winter while we reseeded their pasture. Selling my two Nubians was part of the equation for moving the pigs. :)

Dawn, that is so funny. I would have loved to have seen it! If your pigs are like ours, then they are very hard to sneak up on.

Barb, LOL. Ain't that the truth!

Ed said...

The way to a man's heart is through his stomach and now that you mention it, also pigs. I don't like where this is heading!

Karen@ onthebanksofsaltcreek.com said...

We had to move a VERY LARGE pig out of our barn in December. Not easy to move a pig is an understatement. We had many people working to get this pig in a trailer and it took a long time.

I'm very glad your pig transfer went seemingly smoothly.

Mama Mess said...

I'm a bonafide pig lover from way back! Not as much as goats, but they are pretty awesome and not to mention delicious! Waldo and Polly look very happy!

Michelle said...

Your pigs have really grown! Went on a call with Rick this winter and the client had a bunch of Guinea hogs of all ages.

Su Ba said...

Wow, your pigs look really great. Nice going. :)
I've trained my pigs to come to "peeg, peeg, peeg" , which means in pig talk, "The lady has a bucket of good tasting food for you." They will follow me anywhere. The boar I borrowed to breed to Hammie picked up on the pig call real quick. Two weeks ago he jumped the 42" fence and got loose. When I called him, he came running, jumping and twisting in joy. Clambered right into a pen and received his treat. He now has a 5 foot fence, which so far he hasn't challenged, by the way, I was shocked to see that he could jump like that. Pretty athletic for a pig,

Julene said...

Moving the pigs has given me a big smile! They are funny creatures! Your method to move them sure worked!!

Frank and Fern said...

Very interesting and educational, Leigh. I was also interested to see how easily Dan could walk behind them and they didn't seem to mind. Are they close to the 200 pound average now? Thanks for the 'tour'.

Fern

Renee Nefe said...

Looks like the pigs didn't even notice their move. They might have looked up once the food was gone. ;) They also look nice fat and happy. will there be any spring piglets yet or is that too soon?

Harry Flashman said...

I surely do like those pigs. They have character.

Sarah said...

Glad it was a smooth transition!

Leigh said...

Ed, LOL. It's amazing how many common sayings and phrases have their roots in farm life, especially animals. I can fully appreciate what it means to "eat like a pig" now that we have them. :)

Karen, I wonder if it has anything to do with breed(?) The American Guinea Hogs are extremely friendly. As Su Ba mentions below, they easily learn the "pig pig pig" call. Mine associate that with food and come running whenever they hear it.

the Goodwife, well, they aren't as cute as goats, LOL, although they are cute in their own way. They do have the best personalities.

Michelle, that's pretty neat! If we had more land we could raise a bunch of them, but I think two with the occasional litter is plenty.

Su Ba, that's amazing! I wouldn't have thought they could jump at all, let alone that high. Gosh, I think pig panels are only something like about 36 inches (?). They are fast when it suits them, but mine push rather than jump.

Julene, good to hear from you! They are wonderfully entertaining and easy to keep with proper containment!

Fern, they are really quite friendly and love being petted and scratched. Even so they live for food!

Renee, I surely hope for spring piglets. I keep watching Polly for signs of pregnancy, but this is new for me. I hope it's easier to tell than with goats!

Harry, they're hard not to like!

Sarah, thanks!

MaryP said...

For information on just about anything you want to know about pigs, visit Walter Jeffries' blog at http://sugarmtnfarm.com/ He has posted information on pregnancy indicators and also about how to judge when farrowing is close. If you have specific questions, leave him a comment and he will respond.

Leah said...

They are certainly earing their keep! They look pretty happy in their new digs, or is that the food? Haha.

Unknown said...

Good job!

Leigh said...

MaryP, I had forgotten about Walter Jeffries' website. Thanks for the reminder! Lots of good information there.

Leah, I think they like having new ground to root up. Which is all for food anyway, LOL, so the answer to your question is both. :)

Nancy, so true!

Mark said...

That move seems to have gone well. My limited experience with moving pigs always involved crowd gates and bruised shins. I like your way better!

Leigh said...

Mark, I'm so glad our move went better! But then, the American Guinea hog has a really people liking personality. that helps!

Sandy Livesay said...

Leigh,

I think Waldo and Polly love their new digs!!! They seem to move relatively easily with a food bribe......food works all the time, lol.....

Great pictures!!