My wife is swapping eggs and fruit from our orchard for a baby pig. It isn't weened yet, so I have time to build a pen and shelter.

Any body here have tips or precautions they would like to share?

Otony

Make sure that your pen fence extends into the ground at least 12" so the little "bulldozer" can't dig under it. That nose does a great job of moving dirt...

You also might check with some of the local grocers to see if you can get discarded produce and bread. Pigs love fruit and veggies. They also love bread, muffins, (and especially donuts) if soaked in a little water. Also, if you know anyone who brews beer, the discarded malted grains are great animal feed....

Google backyard pig pen plans for lots of ideas. could be as simple as a roll of hog wire from the farm store and some T posts. Not sure it is necessary to bury a foot deep. There will shortly be no living thing inside the wire. Pigs will eat anything but always good to supplement with Purina pig pellets.

.....because the only critters round here that get petted are cats and dogs. The rest get eaten! Turkeys and rabbits are destined for the table, the chickens lay eggs.

They all pay for their feed and upkeep by way of the dinner table. Even the cats and dogs earn their keep. Cats are for field mice and such, dogs are to guard the place and keep deer out of the orchard.

At some point we will have sheep so we can raise lambs for slaughter.

Otony

My wife already has a deal going with a local grocery for their expired veggies, which she feeds to our chickens. There are three bakeries in town, besides those in the various groceries, plus a doughnut shop. I'm betting we can scrounge a bit of stuff.

Thanks for the suggestions...

Otony

But not sure about mice on the table. Train your cats for squirrels, at least.

then you need to be getting a hot wire down low on the inside of your pig pen to keep porky inside his area.

Be SURE to place the pen downwind of the house.

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Not only will it be downwind, it will be pretty far from the house, behind the smaller of the two shops.

Chicken coops ain't too close Either!

Otony

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Make sure it's vaccinated and castrated. when you pick it up.

......vaccination and castration hadn't even crossed my mind. Probably because I wouldn't like either done to me!

Thanks!

Otony