Keeping pigs

[sherrardk]

Sorry, didn't know where to put this - animals & nature or food & drink so I opted for CB. Anyway, anyone have any experience or knowledge of what's involved in keeping pigs with the idea of eventually eating them- cost of feed, any paper work that needs to be done, etc. (I am squeamish so please don't put anything about the actual turning of pig into sausages, etc.) Thanks.

[dotty.]

well they are quite easy as during World War 2 the government encouraged people to keep their own pig, many school did this and the animals were fed on scraps. They are very clean animals but sadly do not make good mums, they can eat their young if upset. We had pigs on the farm when i was little and they were kept indoors but the next farm kept them outside.

[237SJ]

My Dad used to have about 200 pigs but that was years ago. Him and his friend used to have them in the summer and go around the local hotels collecting `swill` to feed them. They used to slaughter them at the end of the summer and my mother would always keep one back to put in the freezer. Pigs have to be registered with `the ministry` (probably DEFRA now) and you couldn`t move them without permission (maybe that`s changed now).

[Barmaid]

1 do you have secure fencing (and I mean secure) they are escapologists of the highest order and will then trash anything and everything in sight.
2 You will need the knacker man to come and collect and slaughter them prior to butchering for human consumption - build that into the cost.
3 You will need to build in food for them, but actually they will eat any kitchen scraps you chuck at them

[sherrardk]

Hi all, it's just an idea at the moment (my husband's sine he found out how many sausages we go through in one meal).

[B00]

Are you able to have pigs on your property? Don't you have ot run it by the powers that be? Council or whatever?

And I'd also look into whether you can still feed them kitchen scraps as wel, especially if they're for human consumption.

And lastly, without tryint to sound mean, id look into the whole thing in wayyyyyy more detail than just by asking a few questions on here.

[237SJ]

I don`t think it would be worth your while if you just want some sausages! The best meat from a pig is too good to make into sausages.

[sherrardk]

Hi Boo - I was just dipping my toe into the water really. I don't want anything to do with it as the thought turns my stomach. We wouldn't keep them here (garden in titchy) but my husband has a friend with 'land' and he was talking about keeping three or four of them there. I think it'll never get past the idea stage but he brings it up every now and then.

[mazie]

They are better than Houdin for escaping and will trash anything in their path. I would find a good butcher for you sausages

[B00]

lol, make sure it stays "just an idea" sherr! Imagine your kids faces when they discover the little piglet they'd named Percy is now sat on their plates in the form of sausages, poor little mites, will scar 'em for life ;-)

[sherrardk]

Hi Boo - that's my problem with it, wouldn't want to meet them or have anything to do with them (and still not sure if I could actually eat anything made from them).

[237SJ]

When my dad kept pigs I used to go and help him feed them sometimes. One time he had a pig in the staple shed in my Gran`s field. My mother told me not to tell anyone the pig was there but I told my best friend. It turned out that my father shouldn`t have taken the pig there due to the laws about moving pigs. When I opened the stable door to show my friend the pig, he was tied by the legs and his throat was slit. He had pneumonia apparently which is a common problem with pigs. Farming is hard and you have to detach yourself from the harshness of it.

[mazie]

and they really smell.............don't do it sherr

[sherrardk]

237SJ - if it ever gets anywhere I won't be having anything to do with it!

Maize - I'm hoping it will stay an idea although this is not the first time he has suggested it.

[Buenchico]

Some fun reading for you, Sherrardk:
http://www.defra.gov....s/new_owner_guide.pdf

[237SJ]

I`ve never heard of pigs escaping. My father`s pigs never escaped. They were happy as long as they were fed and watered. Pigs are quite intelligent animals. Although they smell a little bit strongly, they are clean as well. They always foul a corner of their living space but they don`t go around randomly fouling.

[sherrardk]

Hi Buenchico - I will pass that link onto himself, I'm not reading it in case it deals with specifics that I would rather not know about!

[Buenchico]

You can read it safely, Sherrardk (but, unless you're the sort of person who enjoys reading the small print in legal documents, probably not that easily!). It's even got some nice piccies of happy pigs in it!

[ClareA]

Hens are easier.

[starone]

You have to be there every day to look after them, probably more than once a day. It is really hard work and I suspect your husband would soon tire of it, unless he is already a farmer of course.