One pig or two? (UPDATE & PICS)

[Deleted]

For you pig owners (and former pig owners) out there, I have a question.

I'm buying my first feeder pig this week, and the seller says its not a good idea to buy just one. He said they don't grow as well and tend to get sick more often when they're by themselves. Is that true? We don't need two pigs because we don't need that much meat. I suppose we could slaughter two and just freeze some of the meat for up to a year. I've heard you shouldn't freeze meat for more than 3 months.

We're not going to be hanging out with the pig all day, but my wife usually makes the rounds to all the animals twice a day, and it will have toys and the like to play with. Also, its pig pen shares a fence line with the pasture where out Jersey grazes, and with our chicken yard. In addition, there is a large goat heard about 100 feet away in an adjoining pasture. Would those animals make it feel less lonely?

Thanks for any advice.

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Well, I'm sorry to say this, but I did not take anyone's advice. I went out today and bought 1 pig. I wanted to buy two, but my wife wasn't the most thrilled about getting a pig in the first place, so I had to compromise. We agreed that we'll try it with one, and if it doesn't do well, we'll do two next time.

Actually, I would love to have a sow that had piglets. I love showing our kids about babies and how they grow. I just can't justify it. We don't know anyone who would buy them (yet). I think if I could find someone who would go into buying a pig with us, kind of like Liz does, then my wife might agree to do two. It's a good point about how it practically pays for your butchering.

Anyway, here's our pig: Pork Chop. She's an eight-week old Bluebutt gilt. She's a little skiddish, but coming around just fine.

[Liz]

I recommend two at least.
They do grow better, unless there is a goat or something for it to bed down with.
We have stored our fresh farm meat for a year (wrapped in butcher paper, in the deep freeze) and had no problems with it.
We also sell the meat (on the hoof), buyers select 1/4, 1/2 or a whole pig, when it is grown they meet us at the butcher. They pay us 1.50/lb or whatever the daily rate is, and place their order seperately with the butcher for their meat. We usually sell 2-3 pigs a year, depending on how many we raise. It is not alot of money, but does pay for our meat to be processed.
hth!
Liz

[myersfarm]

not sure about pigs but i always put my freezer calf in with the bulls to fat them up also.......then they just shovel in the the feed to keep the other one s from eating it up so they eat more

[Deleted]

The people I know that have raised a pig for themselves always raise at least one with it. Everything that I have read about raising pigs suggests that they need to have at least one more pig with them. Off the subject but people that sell goats usually won't sell just one unless they know you have at least one already. Seems like many of the farm animals do best with at least one of their own kind.
Janet

[Tricia]

Two, they do like company.

[Rosa Ridge Farm]

We just purchased two feeder pigs last week.......our first time with pigs. The nights have not been really warm so the two of them cuddle together under the hay. They also compete for food and this is supose to help them grow faster. We just love them!
Judith

[piper]

Two pigs. The other pig shouldn't be too hard to sell, or gift, or trade.

[Joann]

Definitely two. A singleton gets picky and leaves food. Together they compete and grow a lot better and look happy. You don't want an unhappy pig.

I have used pork and every other kind of meat that had been a year or more in the freezer. It will be just fine. Make sure your pigs have a vitamin E source so they are full of antioxidents. Fat lacking in antioxidents gets rancid.

Joann

[mtnmama]

We always raise three- one for our freezer, two to sell to cover the feed costs for all three. This always worked well for us. The piggies were happier,too. My son and hubby do all our butchering. And like Joann, I've had meat in the freezer for a year or more and it's always good' just be sure it's wrapped VERY well.

[sallymcd]

Can you put the pig near other animals?
Chicken TV (being near enough to a chicken coop) or a "Dog show" (being near the family dogs) helped the pig in an only-pig situation. There were 4 children (5-14yrs) who the pig watched and he got a lot of attention. He was slaughtered after 9 mo. and did OK. The other animals routinely jumped in with the pig.

[Deleted]

Her pen is adjacent to the pasture where our Jersey grazes, and the chicken yard. My wife also tries to get out there a couple times per day to offer treats and pet her.

[savinggrace]

Hi,

I might be a little late here but the man I buy my feeders from sold me on the idea of getting two

Raising two doesn't take any more time/effort; a little more feed is all. Weight gains will be better when you have two-even if you have food free choice, they will compete a little for the food. Or, one will get up go and eat and the other will also come over and check it out-and will eat some.

They love company as well. Good luck with the endevor, we love keeping pigs!

Melissa