# I won a piglet!



## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

I was planning on getting american guinea hogs in the new year, but the farm I'm going to buy from had a facebook giveaway and I won a piglet! It's a boy that'll be ready to be picked up on Dec 7th at six weeks old. I've researched taking care of the pigs, but he's so young, I'm wondering if there's anything I should know. He's not for eating. Will he be alright outside by himself? Should I keep him in for a few weeks or put up a heatlamp? I'm going to put his pen in the yard with the goats and chickens, so he'll be able to see the other animals. My goal is to raise him fairly naturely, forage, eggs, veggies, and the like. I want to get a female in the new year and possibly breed down the road. Thanks for any tips!


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## J-TRanch (Jan 31, 2014)

I would keep him in or give him a draft free dog house. I have teacup pigs that I raise..

I would keep him in for a couple weeks to monitor his body temp and health if it was me.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

I'm going to disagree on keeping him inside UNLESS you plan on him being an indoor pet. If you keep him in, he's going to be use to the warmth. THEN....you put him outside and it's cold or damp....he's gonna get sick. Is he outside now? What's the difference in temps where he is and where you are? What do the current owners have for a heat set-up? Those are the factors to take into consideration here. Find out from the place you're getting him what they recommend. 

I always chuckle every single time I see someone on here say "draft free". LOL There is no such thing as draft free in my area unless you have everything completely sealed off in which case there isn't any ventilation either. If you're going to have a door that the pig can go in and out on his own, there is going to be a draft. Lots of straw for bedding. Pigs build "nests". It's really funny watching them. Pig use to use his bottom jaw like a scoop and walk around scooping bedding until he got a mouthful and then go put it on his "nest".


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

Thanks for the tips. I know I'm going to be tempted to spoil him rotten, but I also know that's not good for him. The farm is 3 hours south of me, so a bit warmer. I'll be sure to ask her lots of questions. I'm pretty sure they're outside, since they're used for meat, not pets. I'll build him a nice shelter and put in lots of hay. I was mostly worried about him being lonely since I have to wait to get another.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Yes, he will be lonely, but it won't be as bad as you think. Build his pen and shelter where you want to keep them. A warning about building in the poultry area is that the pig WILL eat any eggs he can get to. Period. We kept losing goose eggs when she was setting and couldn't figure out why until we saw Pig headed to the barn where the nest was. :doh: I would build outside that area just for that reason. The nice thing is that since he'll be the only one for a while you can really tame him down. 

Oh....and do NOT forget the darn pictures once you get him!!!!


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

Dang it. I just typed out a message and it got erased. He'll have his own fenced in area, so no worries about the eggs.

I'll post pics. This is a pic of the three males they have, so he'll be one of these.


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

A thought just occured to me. Do goats normally act aggressive towards pigs? My oldest goat is very mean towards new goats and tries to butt the dog through the fence, but ignores the chickens unless they're in her food. If I let him out by the goats sometimes, what are the chances of a situation happening?


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

I have AGHs too! I love them and they get along great with my goats. He will be a nice little guy raised by himself..not so food driven without all the competition. (I had a ram that hated the pigs - got rid of him
I spoil my pigs but they are so friendly and docile that it's hard not to. (I also eat them..). Have fun with the new guy!



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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

We had our potbelly in with the goats and they seemed to get along ok. :shrug:


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## J-TRanch (Jan 31, 2014)

I got a mini pig at a week old and kept him inside for a few days while pan feeding. 

He did ok going outside and he was in the mud room --not as cold as outside- but not as warm as inside. Before two weeks old they cannot make their own body heat. So it was a MUST for me. 


Owner/operator
J-T Ranch Dairy Goats
NW KS


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## J-TRanch (Jan 31, 2014)

Draft free meaning as less wind as possible. There's no such thing as draft-free. But most people do know what everyone means when saying it too. It means he shouldn't be out in the wind and the pen blocked by trees or the shed out of straight-on wind. 


Owner/operator
J-T Ranch Dairy Goats
NW KS


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

I understood what you meant, J-TRanch.  I have chickens and they are supposed to be draft free too. One of my goats sits outside in all weather. She doesn't care about having a draft free place. She's very silly.  We were just trying to figure out which direction to face the opening on the pig's house. Prevailing winds confuse me, though I'm sure it's probably easy to understand. It seems like the wind blows from all different directions.

Thanks for the info, guys, on goats and pigs. Hopefully they get along, at least until we move them all to their new pens next year. The lady I'm getting him from will have new hogs in the spring, so he'll have to wait until then for a companion.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Yay for bacon bits :clap: Congrats  
My calf huts face south with their backs to the north if that helps you any. I can spin them if i need to as well. Be prepared for your pens to be uprooted like never before ……and they could get out eventually , just something to think about…


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

We're planning on moving them to a new spot every year for gardening purposes. I can't wait to get him. I don't mind if he causes a mess. The chickens and dogs already dig up the yard anyway. Not to mention the kids, who think its fun to dig holes.


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## J-TRanch (Jan 31, 2014)

MylieD said:


> I understood what you meant, J-TRanch.  I have chickens and they are supposed to be draft free too. One of my goats sits outside in all weather. She doesn't care about having a draft free place. She's very silly.  We were just trying to figure out which direction to face the opening on the pig's house. Prevailing winds confuse me, though I'm sure it's probably easy to understand. It seems like the wind blows from all different directions.
> 
> Thanks for the info, guys, on goats and pigs. Hopefully they get along, at least until we move them all to their new pens next year. The lady I'm getting him from will have new hogs in the spring, so he'll have to wait until then for a companion.


No problem! I love my piggies! We got a shed for them.














Owner/operator
J-T Ranch Dairy Goats
NW KS


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

I thought I was going to have to wait four months to get a companion for the boy pig, but I found a piglet for sale and I'm getting her Saturday. I'm so excited to be getting piglets.  I think she looks a little thin (just from looking at pics online) but I will fatten her up nice. She's about 2 months old.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

What a cutie!


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Cute! And...yay for another piggy so soon


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Just too cute !!!!! Love those pictures  Congratulations Katherine !
Cant wait to see the happy couple together


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## ilovegoats (Nov 27, 2013)

I raise barn yard pigs every year and this was our first time that we have done piglets (The mother pig died in child birth so we got the pigs for free). We had 3 piglets and we have a huge tote that is the size of about 2-3 regular totes put together so we kept them in the garrage inside of there until they were stronge enough to go outside and we had a 3 side shelter out there for them, but we used a heat lamp when they were still little. Not sure if that helps cause i had barnyard pigs so i dont much about AGH's


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

So cute! One word of warning. My friend kept her two pigs and her goats together and the pig ripped open the back end of one of her does. She went to the vet, but the goat died anyway. It was horrible. So I've put off getting pigs until I can ensure I keep them separated from my goats.


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

Your little gilt looks great! This breed of pig can get overweight very easily... So watch that you don't over feed! (Especially if you want to breed them). We butchered 3 AGHs Friday/Saturday. Our chef friend said it was the best pork he had ever tasted!!!!!


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

I've read the horror stories, Dayna. I'm planning to be very careful. We're putting up new pens in January/Feb where everyone will be separate. So they will just be little piglets in a pen, within the front fenced in yard where the goats are. I don't think they'd be able to hurt the goats when they're that young, if they can even get to each other. 

Milk & Honey, I read they grow on pasture and scraps mostly. It's one of the reasons I wanted them. Right now I'm planning to sell any future piglets. We'll see if I can handle keeping one for meat. (I don't eat meat, my husband does.) We're getting meat rabbits in the new year, so if that goes well, my husband will be very happy. I have heard they make the best pork. We'll see.


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

You will be thrilled with the meat! And be sure to use the lard too... It might make you a carnivor again. Ha ha 
And the piggies are so docile and friendly ... You are going to LOVE them!


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