Update on the American Guinea Hog Project!

[MamaSheepdog]

After much searching over the last few months, I finally found a boar within reasonable driving distance! Better yet, his breeders had to make a trip into Fresno from their mountain home, which cut an hour off of the trip for us.

These hogs continue to amaze me... just as with the original six we bought, he did not potty in his crate on the way home... this despite the fact that we made the most of our trip by hitting the 99 cent only store (bought 240lbs of taters for the piggies!), Costco, Walmart, and Tractor Supply Company.

Since raising heritage hogs is a new venture for me, I have been wondering if my feeding regimen has been appropriate. Judging by the size difference between the boar and our pigs, clearly I am doing something right! He is two months older- born in April while ours were born in June- and my pigs make him look tiny!

Pictures are of them enjoying their breakfast of potatoes, pinto beans, miscellaneous veggies, and alfalfa pellets cooked with cornmeal (the only way I can get them to consume hay/alfalfa pellets!).

He is second from the right:



Poor photo quality, but here is a view of our future hams- the new guy is second from the left:

 

[Zass]

Your future hams are looking quite delicious! :dinner:

 

[MaggieJ]

Looks to me, MSD, as though they are doing great! Be sure to keep us updated!

 

[alforddm]

They look great! Is that a ball I see in the 2nd picture? Do they play with it?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Your future hams are looking quite delicious! :dinner:

Aren't they, though!?! I am thinking of slaughtering one of the barrows before too long. :twisted:

Looks to me, MSD, as though they are doing great!

Thank you! I think they are coming along rather nicely.

Is that a ball I see in the 2nd picture? Do they play with it?

We-e-ell... that's hard to say. They move it around, but I have yet to see them make an actual game of it. Then again, when they see me they expect food, so cease all other activities. :roll:

I bedded their pen with shavings today, since it was looking a bit too much like a... a... well, a pig sty. Our last storms caused it to get really muddy on the south side, and it was just icky in there.