Hi I am considering getting a couple of hogs this spring both for helping to clear my land (3 acres) and also for food for the family.... I am however needing help in the proper fencing materials, I would like to move them around to help me clear some of my lot which is mostly wooded. Should I consider a solar electric fence? How much are they? where should I buy one? how big of a pen should I Make?

I also need instructions as to feeding? Grain to slop ratios? and how much should i feed them i realize it will be a sliding scale as they get older and bigger....

Oh and one more question!!! I am interested in going to a animal auction, where might i look to find one in my area? I live in souther Maine. Thanks for any help you might be ablr to give me!!!

-- John Blanchard (jrpif@yahoo.com), November 20, 2001

Answers

Hi John, Here's how we're setting our place up. We have 18 acres, 4 in woods, the rest in pasture, 2 of it in yard. I'm in the process of cross fencing 10 acres of it into one acre pastures, for rotational purposes. The other 2 acres we're diving into 4 1/2 acre pens, fenced with stock panel. (We have two now). Each year we raise 6 pigs. My plan is to rotate those four pastures each year, and when they're hog free grow corn in them. CJ

-- CJ (cjtinkle@getgoin.net), November 20, 2001.

John, go way down the page and look under hogs. You will find quite a few ideas on fences and feeding. I use portable hog panels in a large circle and move them every couple of days.

-- Carol Koller (ckoller@netsync.net), November 20, 2001.

For fencing, I have wielded wire with an electric wire on the bottom. It works really well. Solar is fine. If you would like to make it moveable, you can use hog panels with the electric wire on the bottom. I wouldn't try to use only the electric since they are smart and will sometimes just run through the lone wire. I purchased my electric fence equipment from Jeffers catalog. (they are on the net) My pen is under an acre for three pigs. I heard that too much room will make them tough although a friend said that if you confine them the last month with feedings of cracked corn, it will make them tender.

I have plans for a self feeder if you are interested. It feeds dry feed, either pellets or dry mash.

If you can avoid it, don't go to an auction. Even healthy animals can pick something up by walking through the aisles. Contact you county extention or local 4H to see about getting healthy weanlings.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), November 20, 2001.

John, I don't know where in southern Maine you are, but there is an auction in Skowhegan every tuesday that sells animals as well as other things. It's called Clark's Livestock Auction. Hope this helps.

-- Murray in ME (lkdmfarm@megalink.net), November 21, 2001.

I made a web page that might help: http://www.richsoil.com/pigs.html

I have to agree with the auction thing. I've been to estate auctions which are great. But at the livestock auction, the guy says "We'll start at 37 dollars. Heebada, hoobada, habbada, HIP, habbada .... Sold to number 113 for 42.25." I tried really hard to figure out what was happening in the middle, but I really couldn't understand anything. So I bought local. Turns out that the guy I bought from bought the animals from the auction and tacked on a few bucks. Oh well.

-- Paul Wheaton (paul@javaranch.com), November 22, 2001.

Thanks for all your suggestions.... How about one more!!! LOL How far away from a drilled well should the pen be? Thanks Again JB

-- John Blanchard (jrpif@yahoo.com), November 24, 2001.