After about one minute of cooling off, they felt comfortable enough that they decided to start breeding, right there next to me. No need for me to guess the breeding date---I got to witness the whole thing. (And can I just say, that corkscrew shape is VERY strange looking, and the spinning drill-type action downright bizarre!)
Anyway, now that I know the breeding date, I can count forward and announce that we should be expecting our first baby pigs sometime around August 27, give or take. Which means that they'll be ready to go to their new homes by late October.
Guinea hogs are a fantastic heritage breed and are super easy to care for. I already have a small waiting list for piglets, so if you're interested in buying one (or more) let me know!
I wish you lived closer! I'd take a couple.
ReplyDeleteShouldn't this posting be titled "Makin' Bacon"?
ReplyDeleteMaybe. But maybe not.
ReplyDeleteWhile we do plan to eat some of the pigs we raise, I already have a small waiting list of people who want to buy piglets.
So depending on how many she has, it's possible that none of this first group of piggies will end up being bacon.
If not, we'll just make more! :-)
Terri: You don't necessarily need to live close to get piglets. If you buy them when they are newly weaned, they are still small enough to ship in a standard pet carrier!
ReplyDeleteHi Nancy,
ReplyDeletewe have some guinea hogs up here in northern maine if you ever need an unrelated to make a pair for someone. I like your guys' short noses. mine have long. I've had them a little over a year and they always fool me by having a preliminary breeding a month or so before the actual productive one. Come see our newest litter on You Tube. http://www.youtube.com/user/woodprairie
I love our piggies. they're so easy to get along with. Megan Gerritsen, Wood Prairie Farm
Well that was easy! LOL
ReplyDeleteYeah, that corkscrew thing is a bit disconcerting. Bo has come out of the dark and into the light. We see it a lot these days!
ReplyDeleteWoodPrairie: Where in Northern Maine are you? My sister lives up near Patton, and she's getting some piglets from me, maybe next year. She might like to know where to find unrelated pigs.
ReplyDeleteBluefield Acres: I guess Bo was just shy at first! :-)
ReplyDelete