The porcine project

After venturing in chickens last year, we were excited to add another animal to the farm. We have decided to add one new type of animal per year so we don’t get overwhelmed. After lots of reading, research, and discussion, we chose pigs as our next project.

First, we had to build a pig pen. Many people build their pen out of pallets or “whatever is lying around”, but not us. Oh, no……our pigs had to have luxury like the chickens. We wanted comfortable, happy pigs. I figure the bacon will taste better if they live in the lap of luxury.

Step one – remove the chain link installed by a former owner. We were told they raised emus. Ya, emus, you read that right. This is what the corral area next to the barn looked like when we bought the place.

Corral – before
This is what it looked like when we bought the place.

And here it is all cleaned up:

Corral after clean up and fence removal

Then we built the new fence. Part of this will be corral fence for cattle (or whatever), the rest is the new pig enclosure. First we set all the posts (we rented a post hole digger – digging all these by hand is crazy talk I tell ya).

Setting Posts

Then, we poured a concrete pad for the pig house and food/water area. I even helped smooth out the concrete! Look at my many talents!

Look! I’m helping with the concrete!

Then, we put all the fence boards up.

Pig Pen is taking shape

We then installed all the pig panels and stained all the wood. Doesn’t it look nice??

Stained fence

Pig house

Next, we had to get pigs! We ended up with two Duroc/Hampsire cross barrows. Here’s hubby holding one of them:

Hubby and pig

I was a little disturbed that the way to handle piglets was by their hind legs, but those little suckers are really hard to hold on to otherwise. AND….they bite!

I did manage to hold one up a little better: