I'm going to pin this Troy people need to hear it from someone else that's been there . Part of the problem is people hobby farming call themselves homesteader's and the rules are way different anything mini is a poor fit when it comes to providing food

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay absolutely. Mine are 7 months but I've only had them for 4. the biggest one is 80 pounds. What am I supposed to do with a 80 pound pig? My dog weighs more then that!

@@troybailey8113 troy I just got through dressing a 10 week pig that dressed 50lbs that I'm going to BBQ in the morning , I can't figure out why people push them so hard we go through six 250 lb tops a year just for our family if you are depending on what you grow to eat, it takes a lot . Big difference between one meal a week to put on Facebook and a thousand meals a year

They're not to much trouble if you only have a few , glad to help

Glad to help , thank you I take being compared to the old folks as high praise

Glad to help !

We just did the math on our meat pigs last year and we were at 3.25 a lb in the freezer . That was feed , processing/ packaging and figuring 85.00 for the feeder pig ( what I could have sold them for at weaning) . Remember your going to get some cuts you might not use feet , tails , ears etc and it'll be a little cheaper if you process yourself

Hope they help a little

I'm glad to help that's why I do this , I get a lot of feed back from my customers saying they felt suckered when they bought a fad breed ended up with 10 dollars a pound pork and had to wait a year for it not to mention paying an outrageous price for the pig they're like bantam chickens tbh

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay I could not agree more the cheapest was to put quality pork in the freezer is the best way. I spend a bit more on a few things like adding fermented grain and some soaked corn and a scoop of field peas in the fermented grains but all in all I stick with a bulk 16-% med ground pig ration normally served moist. Bulk by the ton is the only way to buy feed or mix your own. Thanks again. Love these real live Real situation show it as it is tell it as it is videos

@@mindenhillshomesteadyukefa8091 feed cost are only going to go up for the foreseeable future , I'm so glad we set up years ago to make our own feed

Thank you , I'm glad to help

I usually forget something important Brian

That days getting closer isn't it ?

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay I hope I can get out of here next year if I can get my house fixed up and the virus doesn't make things difficult

Trying to help folks hard as I can

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay it’s all you can do sir.....

@@AnglesideFarm I reckon we're doing farrow to freezer now I'm selling our finished hogs dressed

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay do you do the butchering yourself? We have long wait times here to get animals processed. I called first week in September and the earliest I could get hogs done is November 8. I can butcher deer, never tried a hog.

@@AnglesideFarm no they have to be USDA stamped to sell we had a little trouble with long waits last year . I still dress BBQ pigs and some of my neighbors still have hog killings mainly for tradition . It's a job especially if you're doing 15 at the time But it can be done with only hand tools saw ,grinder etc

I hope it helps someone !

That's a nice hog setup you have over there . Has it worked out to be profitable?

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay They are only raised the local way, which is a bit more harsh and rough than your good set up on your homestead. If the locals have not got much money then the pigs are not going to have too much spent on them but they are raised on pig pellet feed for rapid growth. I am no expert and rely on family members with there years of knowledge raising pigs locally. Its all in philippine peso's, so not much compared to the US with inputs and profits but filipino's love their pork and pigs. I have videos of the costs and profits on my channel. The family look after them mainly the local traditional way, to their welfare standards which is different to the west. We have ASF African Swine Flue knocking around. If the locals get a whiff its in the area they automatically slaughter all their pigs to ensure they do not completely lose there money/ investment. So lost a couple of pigs to panic killing by the family which was unfounded. We enjoy raising a few backyard pigs to see if we can make a little profit. If you go too big it can be easy to go bust. Out in the provinces here it still has a wild west feel to it. Like your accent and your informative videos. I will be watching more of them.

It doesn't hurt to have an extra pen and move them so it can dry out .

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay thanks much for that advice. I think I may divide it into thirds and just rotate to the other two as needed with only two pigs. If I decide to keep more pigs I can use the other pens. This is just pork for the family use. I appreciate your channel and expertise. I am looking to get the breed you recommended from an earlier video.

Thanks preacher

I might I'll check for you , I'm glad to help if I can

I was in that boat until last week 3 months of going wide open now I'm laid up sick and wishing I could get back to work !

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay hope you're feeling better by now... and really appreciate your videos

@@FITZIEBLUE had a pacemaker put in Monday , I seem to be a lot better

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay good lord, just saw this...prayers and good wishes to you and your Mrs.

No it's a common belief for some reason but it doesn't work . It appears to because the fiber pushes out some of the really old worms that can't hold on . NCSU did a lot of research on " natural" dewormers none of them do much if anything

If you have any questions let me know

The man questions I have found answers in the various videos of yours I have watch. The only real question I have left pertains to worming and if grinding grains is a good idea for small backyard farming for food. Raise small flock for eggs, 60ish meat birds per year, and now venturing into a couple feeders per year. One for freezer and hopes of barter other for beef. As for the worming I have found a variety of answers but how often should I be worming with ivermectin (most recommended via internet search)? As far as the feed question I realize the supplements are key, but if I would be buying whole grains to mill would the savings really be justified considering investing in a mill and the time it takes up? I realize you grow some of your grains is that where the savings is or the processing as well? I wrote a lot here and understand if you do not have the time to respond. That being said truly value you insights and all the knowledge that I have and still gaining from your videos.

@@ltdlawnservice4586 depends on how much you have to pay for the grain, if you can get it farmer direct say 5.00 a bushel ( 56 lbs ) you can make it for half the price of store bought . You need the pigs wormed before you put them in their permanent pen then again at 150 lbs for meat pigs . We do fecal samples but worm every thing every six months as a precaution. I worm sows two weeks before farrowing

I just wanted to reach out again and thank you for all the answers your provided. Not just in these comments, but in the hours of information I have taken in watching your videos here lately. I know that you say that you do this to help but you also inspire. I have put off trying to raise feeders for a couple years now. I can do this, but I can’t turn a field in my mind. Thank you I also would like to know how to send you and Darlene a care package from East Tennessee.

@@ltdlawnservice4586 you don't have to send us anything I appreciate it though. I'm here to help if you need it

Thank you

Thank you for watching , glad to help

Thank you for watching!

Thank you

It makes a big difference

I've been joking about getting some interns . It's been suggested to teach some classes up here too

We have it covered in a couple, have one where we have the country agent with us

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay I found it thank you. Do you give the injunction? Thank you

@@larrymorris9834 yes if possible and oral paste on the bigger hogs . Pour on doesn't work on swine

Glad to help

Thanks Mike , a lot of work in them

That's about the same experience we had , I wonder if it has something to do with a particular blood line because I have seen some grow out pretty good

Just trying to help people out , thanks for the encouragement

One day geeky we'll get you out of town

About once a month scatter a little pelletized lime over the area they poop in and any wet spots

I can't recommend deep bedding, it doesn't work anything like people say . The smell and upkeep is terrible. Just a roof normally isn't enough protection from the weather. A concrete floor is fine you'll just have to wash or scrape the floor once a week

We're monetized but the reason we do the channel is to help people. I run a equipment repair shop here on the farm and my wife's a school teacher but the farms not a hobby it has to make a profit or I couldn't do it . I sell produce, pork , beef and chicken. I make a few thousand dollars a year off the farm but it wouldn't be enough to live on

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay You are right, 99% of people don't become millionaires doing You Tube. You must enjoy doing it and looks like you enjoy sharing your knowledge and helping people. But any income from You Tube of course is welcome. Its good your farm is a small profitable business and your not doing it just as a hobby like a lot of people because its failed as a business. You are right the way forward today is multiple diversified sources of income for the family. There is the advantage today of working off the farm and on the internet remotely which is an advantage from the generations before of farmers who could only rely on growing crops and raising livestock. Who where at the mercy of market prices, weather and disease. I still getting through your videos, I enjoy watching them all. I like how you don't take any BS and have a thick hide for the trolls and animal activists which you tuber creators have to endure. I enjoy your informal chatty style and your interaction with your camera women, your wife. Don't worry about production values, you have got it right. Many thanks for your videos, I enjoy watching them.

All I get is bad feed back from people that bought them to feed out and a lot of animosity and hard feelings to the people they bought them from . We've had people throw them in our hog pens when we weren't home to get rid of them, I tried to feed a couple out 6 to 1 on the feed and 3 months to 100 lbs honestly I can't recommend them to anyone for pork

We read they were a great quality dark marbled pork. We have a ton of open pasture and a lot of various food scraps, so here's to hoping they are a tasty meat that is a useful garbage disposal as they grow out. Our plan is to breed enough and staggered enough (we have 2 gilts and a boar right now) to eventually be able to butcher and sell piglets bi-annually. Will take some time to get to the first butchering but like I said, so far they've been relatively no cost to feed.

Also as a little pig person I'm not offended at all. It's all on preference and goals. Valuable information thank you.

@@SageandStoneHomestead I couldn't tell any difference in the pork but I think that's a good thing and I can see the benefits of small sows if you're raising pork for your self . Just can't see buying any to feed out most old breeds hit 250 in four months after weaning on around $150.00 worth of feed so you have 2.00 a lb in the pork processing included give or take

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay makes total sense. We thought about buying feeders but decided we preferred to be able to ensure we would always (God Willing) have access to pigs. Very excited to have them. They are by far one of the easiest livestock animals we have raised far.

Hope it helps

I like them , have some F1 Tamsworth/durocs now . I'd definitely add some to the mix

If you add lime to the pen every few weeks it just rots and goes away . You can compost it if you want

We used to put up one strand of electric wire about a foot off the ground and it kinda worked , don't know if I can recommend it now. People used to help you get your stuff in if it got out now they call the law . Might be better to go with hog wire and and the electric

We did two lines. One low enough to stop going under. And one about eye height. Joel salatin vids show similar. We have land were slowly clearly to turn into sheep yards

Thank you

Yes that was the fire alarm calling in the volunteer fire department

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay Oh! I thought it was a Tornado alarm and you were just way to calm! lol

Some they aren't bad just grow a little slower than I like and suffer in our summers . I've been told they're great for cross breeding to add cold tolerance

Eastern NC

I sell meat pigs for around 80.00 ish at weaning . That's anything that doesn't make the breeding stock or show pig cut for color etc. . I see low quality pigs online here all the time from 20.00 to 40.00 but I think 80 to 100.00 is probably fair and purebred should bring more

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay I appreciate the reply! These are purebred Herefords so maybe that's part of the price.

@@georgefarris4915 I will say that's a lot for a barrow in my opinion unless they're show quality . Purebred doesn't matter much on a pig you can't breed but I understand prices are different in other places

Thank you Kevin

Robert are they on a big pasture ? If they move too much it can make the meat tough so can feeding them out too slow

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay No sir theyre in a decent sized pen and i feed about 3 - 4 lbs per head per day. Where you're from do they hang a hog any length of time or butcher quick?

@@robertbeggs8945 I think that might be the problem feeding them out too slow try putting them on a feeder you want them about 250 in about 4 months add a month for 350 . Over night is about as long as I've ever seen anyone hang a hog just long enough to get all the heat out of the meat , pen them a little tighter and at least triple the feed and I think you'll see a big difference

@@robertbeggs8945 I should warn you those large blacks grow pretty slow anyway , the big black sows you see in my videos are Hamp / Duroc cross they'll go ahead and grow

Thanks for the replies Chris, I will increase feed and see how it goes.

Three do the best for some reason to be honest . Could you give them a little room outside?

Just email me I have a couple of really nice high percentage Duroc boars that will be ready next week

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay whats your email address

@@vincentacunto6777 homesteadingthehardway@gmail.com

They are one of the oldest English breeds the growth rate and feed conversion is a little behind something like a Hamp or Duroc but they are great foragers ( good and bad ,can really destroy a pasture ) and good mothers and do really well in a cross breeding program . They are a true lard type so they work good putting some fat back on this newer line stock.

No the rye is field rye like wheat

Thanks thrifty

Lime , pelletized lawn lime works the fastest

You're welcome to just come by anytime. homesteadingthehardway@gmail.com

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay thanks, I will ask soon as I can, right now I live in northeast Ohio unfortunately

Check your local regulations to make sure you don't have to have three sides but yes the pigs are happy with just a roof . Just build it low 3 ft in the front 2.5 in the back and in the shade if possible

Duroc/Hampshire heavy on the Duroc is the best all around cross but remember there's a LOT of difference between lines in the same breed so picking pigs for the type and traits you want is more important than breed . Most of the time a 4 way cross will out grow and out mama a purebred

Ivermectin is the only safe way to worm a pig I know of really . Granddaddy used lye mixed in soaked corn it works but it's a fine line on the mix and I'm scared to try, the same with arsenic that daddy had to use in the 50s . Don't be scared of using products that will help just use the only when needed and correctly you would be amazed at how much of the organic stuff is pure crap mainly marketing especially with GMOs most people preaching about it don't know anything about them or anything about agriculture in general most of the time it's just for views or to sell a book

Diatomaceous earth do almost nothing and can be harmful , it only an abrasive . None of the other " natural " do much either , vinegar can help with something's mainly stomach trouble but not parisites I see dead animals daily because some dummy read a book and see people fail at this thinking it's their fault when the way they were doing just doesn't work

Can't promise I can but email me a picture and I'll try homesteadingthehardway@gmail.com

She looks like a small breed by shape . You should be able to get her to drink milk out of a pan

Two do better that's true , one just won't grow as fast and normally tries to get out more ,might get sick easier but that's not guaranteed some do fine alone

Thank you for your time. It's hard to find pigs in San Diego county and even harder to find good information as you have given.

@@roncap5818 glad to help , I'm supposed to be shipping some pigs to southern California but it's proving difficult

Yes, it's not toxic in any way

Depends on the parasite load in your pens . If it's light at weaning and around 100 lbs for meat pigs , every four months for breeding stock . If it's heavy every other month for everything. The goal is to break the life cycle

Large breeds are as if not more cold tolerant. Small breeds are more of a hobby livestock not what you need if pork is the goal . We've kept track of feed conversion on some kunekune and it was in the 6.5/7 to 1 range vs 3 to 1 on a good traditional breed so you end up with half the pork in twice the time for the same amount of feed . It's just streached out

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay I finally got through some of the older videos and omg I’m glad. I haven’t purchased my feeder hogs yet but I hope to soon. I am getting my pen built this weekend and following your instructions/recommendations to do so. Any way you have or could make a video for new farmers starting out with pigs? Everything you’ve done here has really been helpful

@@EmptyCup_Empowerment I've covered a lot in videos but I tend to talk about several things in each one . If you have questions you can email me homesteadingthehardway@gmail.com

I make most of it and get the rest from Coker's I've tried that exact thing with the fines and still feed some to cows hogs didn't take to it and had a little trouble with stomach problems in tops just too much powder

Next time you go up there stop by here its 8 miles even

I'll do it that I've been getting lately isn't that powdery thank goodness and has big chunks of molasses in it but about 5 lb of dry roasted peanuts per 100 and it cuts the dust and powder right out

@@stevenjohnson3565 I've just been mixing in wet molasses in the cow feed to knock it down and I use some corn oil in the hog feed anyway . I haven't gotten any in a long time they don't have it but every so often my customers are funny about what I feed anyway and I am too tbh, I keep records on feed conversion for breeding . Tops are the only thing I can really get off script with the feed on and of course the sows but I'm really particular about what they get

I understand that. I've just been lucky to get the good badges I guess that are mostly corn and small grain and such works good for me for the pig's and chickens. And I have gotten a pallet that had 20 bags of corn on it

Are you talking about a large Black?

I just separated two beautiful Duroc cross guilts red with white socks and white tips on their tails and I have one or two Duroc/Tamsworth guilts that we couldn't get shiped

Keep the pens drained best you can and spread pelletized lime ( lawn lime ) a few times a year .

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay thank you very much appreciate your time and the videos.

Depends on the pig and how much you feed him . Most of mine take 4 months and 5 or 6 hundred pounds of feed that at 5 lbs twice a day and up

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay 4 months from birth or from when?

@@rbama3536 from weaning 6 weeks that's to 250 - 270 lbs we found you get to much waste feeding them over 300 and quality goes down a little

Thank you for replying

@@lamarrichardson8865 hold on I didn't explain that properly. Feed per day starts at two lbs and goes up to ten , if you want to grow them slow you can feed 5 until they're topped take about 6 months . That's how I do breeding stock and they'll be 400 ish at 10 months

We have a few , most are spoke for before they're born

Eastern NC

They do but it makes terrible tasting pork . In the old days a lot of pigs were fed by catch

I have done that too boost up some cheaper bag feed in the past just be careful you can go too heavy on protein. In the old days they didn't supliment the protein at all just corn and minerals but it took 7 months to top out a hog

@@HomesteadingtheHardWay o ok good to know thanks