Healthy Skeptic
Ridin' The Range
How do I know when our 3 piggies are ready to take in?
How do I know when to butcher?
- Thread starter Healthy Skeptic
- Start date
Baymule
Herd Master
How big are they? Have you called a slaughter place to get a date? Some of them are so busy that you have to book a date months ahead, others only a few weeks. One year we couldn't get a date that wasn't MONTHS out, so we slaughtered 3 hogs ourselves.
How old are they and how long have you had them? Can you get a picture of them next to a fence or something that you can measure for size comparison?
How old are they and how long have you had them? Can you get a picture of them next to a fence or something that you can measure for size comparison?
Since you got them as babies, I think it generally takes about 5-6 months for them to grow to "normal" slaughter size of 225-275 pounds. Of course you could kill them earlier and have you some suckling pig, or wait a while longer and stockpile lard... I haven't owned a pig yet (for more than about an hour anyway 
)... But hope to at some point. I love bacon and pork products. 
)... But hope to at some point. I love bacon and pork products. - Thread starter
- #4
Healthy Skeptic
Ridin' The Range
I’ll get a picture tomorrow. They are 4.5 months old.
Baymule
Herd Master
Typically, slaughter size is 6 months at a minimum and up to 9-10 months. I think the longest I have kept any was at 8 months of age.
Are you tired of feeding them? They can be a pain, turning over their feed tub, turning over their water tub, then being thirsty, crows flying in to eat the feed.....and looking to you to fix it all. Or sneaking up behind you to see if you taste good, generally tearing things up and smelling the place up.
Are you tired of feeding them? They can be a pain, turning over their feed tub, turning over their water tub, then being thirsty, crows flying in to eat the feed.....and looking to you to fix it all. Or sneaking up behind you to see if you taste good, generally tearing things up and smelling the place up.
Baymule
Herd Master
I would call around for slaughter dates if I were you. Project out at least to 6-7 months of age.
But gosh Bay... they sure make up for it in a skillet or on a skewer or in a smoker or or a grill....
Baymule
Herd Master
I KNOW!!!! Then you have a wildcatter like me who takes the risk on an 820 pound boar.....
We pick up Wilbur on Wednesday, pork chops with pictures and taste test will appear on my 820 Pound thread on Wednesday night!
So looking forward to that post with pics... Pie plate sized pork chops OH MY! - Thread starter
- #10
Healthy Skeptic
Ridin' The Range
Hmmmm I think it’s just I want to be done. Done reminding kids to go take care of them. I hardly go see them. They stink. And this was my sister and my daughters idea.
We gave many of our chickens away last week. Had to keep the 5 pets who don’t even give us eggs. Grrrrr
I’m tired of animals. Yet I am about to get 75 meat birds cause I don’t like grocery store meat.
Guess this 5 day migraine is making me grouchy.
We gave many of our chickens away last week. Had to keep the 5 pets who don’t even give us eggs. Grrrrr
I’m tired of animals. Yet I am about to get 75 meat birds cause I don’t like grocery store meat.
Guess this 5 day migraine is making me grouchy.
