Picky Pigs

Genipher

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I have 2 KuneKunes, younger than 6 months. I add leftover greens to their "slop" and they ALWAYS pick around it. Gave them leftover lettuce yesterday (not moldy or wilty or anything like that, just some excess) and they left it in their dishes. Won't touch it. Tried giving them broccoli and they refused it. Granted, we don't have a lot of grass right now but what we do have, I never see them eat. I thought they were grass grazers? At any rate, I'm starting to think they're picky about vegetables...just like my kids! Aren't pigs supposed to eat EVERYthing?


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Genipher

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My pigs weren't pigs, they were very picky.
Shredding new food and mixing small amounts helped get them used to it. Mine loved snacking on hay, no grass eating, but rooting to eat who knows what that's down there.
I finally figured out that if I blend the broccoli and carrots, they'll eat it.

I've also wondered what they're rooting up to eat...though I have to say, our ducks LOVE following the two pigs and snatching up worms as the ground gets "tilled".
 

misfitmorgan

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Generally there are very few reasons a pig would not eat something.

1. Sick/Not feeling well
2. To hot
3. Not hungry enough

Most often it is option 3, people tend to over feed pigs, so the pigs can afford to be picky about what they do and do not want. Nothing wrong with that if you are comfortable with it, if you want them to eat everything lower the feed amount a bit. Same answer for grazing, most animals are not going to bother to try to go find feed on their own if all they need and more is in the feed pan.
 

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