9 wk old piglets

[Awinch0708]

I have three, 9 wk old piglets. I just switched their feed (the stuff I was given when I got them is super expensive). I went with something from a local store after talking to many local pig breeders. They won't eat the new stuff. I'm not sure what to do. The stuff they started on is twice as much and honestly just not realistic for me to afford. Will they eventually eat it if they get hungry enough? This is the 3rd day on the new stuff. Any help is really appreciated!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Gosh, I've never seen a pig turn down food - especially the ones at my house. Maybe try pouring some milk over it? My pigs will do anything for milk...

 

[Mini Horses]

Generally I mix old with new to transition. But, as FEM says, my pigs turned down NOTHING. They may eat some slower. Yep, milk is a fav for piggies!!!

Don't know what your pen situation may be but, mine loved fresh cut grass. I don't use chemicals, so mow yard, dump grass catcher of fresh cut to them. Instant free feed and they love it. Any kitchen foods -- raw or cooked -- they aren't picky. Extra eggs? shell and all. Tomatoes always a favorite and yes they never say "too many" to zuchini!!! Bonus...had over 25 volunteer tomato plants this Spring in old pig pen.

 

[Awinch0708]

Thanks so much. We definitely need to do the grass thing. We have a pallet pen. We couldn't find pigs locally and had given up. Then these 3 were offered to us so we threw something together. But they are constantly trying to get out to the grass. Should I be giving them hay or something? I have been feeding them kitchen scraps too, but the veggies all have to be cooked. They pick them up and toss them out of the food if they are raw... is that weird? Did I end up with the pickiest bunch of pigs ever? My husband couldn't believe that I was boiling veggies for them the other day! I did mix some milk in their food and they did eat some of it but there was still some in the bowl when I put them to bed.

Do you feed them raw eggs?

(I am totally new to pigs, in case that wasn't clear)

 

[Mini Horses]

Eggs -- raw or cooked. Probably reason not eating raw veggies is 1) not used to them yet & 2) age. Try cutting into smaller pieces...say squash, instead of whole, 2" slices. Smaller mouths now than when grown. Bread was always favorite. I have a bread outlet near where I can buy a pickup bed full for about $10. All close dated/outdated but, they sure scoff it up!!!

When I'm overrun with eggs (60 hens-- I sell most eggs) I soft boil, cool, toss shell and all to chickens -- no pigs now but, they got their share. Both chickens & pigs will eat meats. Mine never bothered the chickens (AGH pigs) but in years past I have had some who would kill & eat a chicken before I could say "NO".....

Dump that grass -- they eat it, then bed in it, root thru, etc. I had an area where I would mow a strip or two each day, just to feed. Looked odd but, kept chickens & pigs happy.

 

[Sara Ranch]

How often are you feeding the pigs?

Do they have food available ALL the time?

A former friend had pigs. She insisted that they only get fed once a day. Period. End of story. (She also kept her new husbands dog locked in the basement all the time. The dog was allowed out to go potty twice a day. That's it. Clean the chicken coop? Aw hell no! Forty-five chickens in a "coop" that was the side of an outshouse/port a potty. She couldn't understand why some chickens roosted outside every night. Dead chicken on the doorstep? Kick it out of the way and move on. So animal kindness was not part of her DNA.)

This person use to get so angry that the pigs would make noise and try to escape. I suggested feeding them twice a day. She said no way. She was complaining loudly (again) to me, in front of her husband, and I asked her husband how often he would recommend feeding the pigs. He said twice a day! He was furious when he found out that she wasn't feeding the pigs twice a day. He was also furious when he found out how little the pigs were getting for food. (I was bringing over 25 gallons (buckets) of food a day, plus food from the garden, plus food scraps, plus canned foods - and she was skimping on the actual feed. We never did figure out what she did with the buckets of food I brought over...it didn't go to the pigs until hubby stepped in and took care over pig care.)

Long story short, well fed, happy pigs don't try to escape. The older the pigs got, the more willing they were to try new things mixed in with the familiar foods.

Keep trying. Maybe only offer a little bit of feed at a time. Not all of it at once. Do you use a food trough? We did (her hubby set it up).

Yeah, I took care of her animals a LOT until her hubby realized she was neglecting/abusing them.

 

[Awinch0708]

I feed them 3 times a day plus snacks throughout. They are very spoiled piggies. They are eating their food better now that I'm mixing with milk. And we started giving grass and they are very happy thank you for all the suggestions. I've just been boiling all veggies for now.