Rob, I really appreciate that you have a mission and vision that you regularly communicate as to the purpose behind your videos. Your videos are very real world educational and helpful. Thank you for taking all this extra time and energy in doing these videos. Your passion is obvious and contagious, but I really appreciate that it’s grounded in practicality.
I appreciate that Matthew. It means a lot. I certainly don't do the youtube videos for the money as most people assume! I do want to help people do what I am doing with less headache than I have experienced.
Thanks for making videos and sharing your knowledge. I learn alot from you. We have a 16’ x 16’ pen that’s made with phone poles and hog panels. It’s pretty stout and doesn’t require electric fence. It works really well for raising 2 pigs, but that’s about all I would put in there. I cut a 2’ x 1’ hole in the side of a 50 gallon barrel and use that for their water. They can’t get in it and it’s freeze proof.
Thanks for the kind words. Does the 16x16 work well for you when they are large? I’m assuming it would for two pigs. I did not mention it in this video that size just because it can require more regular attention to keep up with the dry bedding I think. THere’s a little more forgiveness in a 32x32 size pen. I’m glad to hear that’s the 16x16 works.
@@DowdleFamilyFarms The 16x16 works well in the summer, but it stays wetter than I’d like in the winter. I’m going to try the deep bedding you mentioned. I think that will work well. One thing I like about the smaller size pen is that I can reach anywhere in the pen with a loader bucket. So adding leaves, wood chips, etc, shouldn’t be difficult. We top pigs out at 300/320 pounds and they fit just fine. I have a 5’x5’ shelter in the corner and at 300+ both pigs fit. When they’re topped out they are about as long as the shelter is wide.
Just a thought. Have you thought about putting corn under your wood chips/etc. Especially when the pen is empty and letting it ferment. Same with every time you add new bedding. It's a Salatin method that enables you to remove the bedding to ground level and use it as compost on you pastures. That's what me and Miller Lite are thinking anyway.
We used pine needles in our starter pen for a long time until I suggested we use crushed up charcoal. We would collect the used charcoal from all the neighbors, in burlap bags, and crushed them with sledgehammer. Then we put leaves and pine needles on top ot that. When we moved the pen to the next spot, we plowed everything under, and planted feed crops. Talk about excellent soil fertilizer!
@@DowdleFamilyFarms I really appreciate that you not only make these wonderfully educational videos, but that you take the time to respond to comments and questions! I've been off the farm for 42 years, and find it nice to relive those days through your communications! Thank you...
I do try, though some days I spend a couple hours responding to comments! It’s nice that someone appreciates it. And you always have some interesting insight.
thank u 4 your info why do you not use a dropping system for watering your pigs? pigs like to come inside a water and make it unusable after a day or 2
I'm not sure what you mean by "dropping system" unless you mean something like pig nipple waterers. If that's what you are asking about they tend to be more problematic on pasture in my experience, especially in the cold and heat. Water tanks work really well as long as the pigs cannot get inside the water tank, which is why I run an electric line across the fence.
Rob, I need your advice. We have a batch of 10 pigs on paddock. We are moving weekly. In a couple of months, I want to get another batch of feeder pigs. Do you recommend a completely separate paddock for the new batch, or can we simply add them to the existing herd? We have lots of flexibility to increase paddock size. Just kind of hoping I don’t need to create a double set of stuff.Thanks!
I don't recommend it for a couple reasons, though I understand the desire to do it. First, its best to quarantine pigs new animals when they come to your farm. Especially if they come from a different farm. Its a great way of spreading disease, parasites, etc. Especially if they were wormed at different times. Second, you can keep different sized pigs in paddocks but its a great way of killing piglets if you don't do it right. I had that happen once. They need to be introduced slowly, they need plenty of space to run away, and a way to get out of sight of the other pigs. The older pigs will often run the new pigs through electric fencing. They also need to be on free choice feed initially, or they need to be fed separately. That said, I keep different groups of feeder pigs together, but I sync worming protocols, and all my pigs come from my farm. It can be done, but it takes a good bit of work. If you have feeders now, and are waiting two months, they should be pretty close to going to the processor by the time you get new feeder pigs, unless you are getting kune kune, mangalitsa, IPP, or another slower growing lard type pig. If you are set on doing it, I'd introduce the older pigs into the pen of the new pigs after quarantining for 30 days and make sure there is plenty of space.
Rob,
I really appreciate that you have a mission and vision that you regularly communicate as to the purpose behind your videos. Your videos are very real world educational and helpful. Thank you for taking all this extra time and energy in doing these videos. Your passion is obvious and contagious, but I really appreciate that it’s grounded in practicality.
I appreciate that Matthew. It means a lot. I certainly don't do the youtube videos for the money as most people assume! I do want to help people do what I am doing with less headache than I have experienced.
I can’t subscribe fast enough!!! Great videos! I raise hogs my whole childhood with 4-H and FFA and I’m still learning from you videos!
Thanks for making videos and sharing your knowledge. I learn alot from you. We have a 16’ x 16’ pen that’s made with phone poles and hog panels. It’s pretty stout and doesn’t require electric fence. It works really well for raising 2 pigs, but that’s about all I would put in there. I cut a 2’ x 1’ hole in the side of a 50 gallon barrel and use that for their water. They can’t get in it and it’s freeze proof.
Thanks for the kind words. Does the 16x16 work well for you when they are large? I’m assuming it would for two pigs. I did not mention it in this video that size just because it can require more regular attention to keep up with the dry bedding I think. THere’s a little more forgiveness in a 32x32 size pen. I’m glad to hear that’s the 16x16 works.
@@DowdleFamilyFarms The 16x16 works well in the summer, but it stays wetter than I’d like in the winter. I’m going to try the deep bedding you mentioned. I think that will work well. One thing I like about the smaller size pen is that I can reach anywhere in the pen with a loader bucket. So adding leaves, wood chips, etc, shouldn’t be difficult. We top pigs out at 300/320 pounds and they fit just fine. I have a 5’x5’ shelter in the corner and at 300+ both pigs fit. When they’re topped out they are about as long as the shelter is wide.
Very informative and enjoyable content. More people need to learn about regen ag and buy a property with some land!
Thanks for the kind words.
Just a thought. Have you thought about putting corn under your wood chips/etc. Especially when the pen is empty and letting it ferment. Same with every time you add new bedding. It's a Salatin method that enables you to remove the bedding to ground level and use it as compost on you pastures. That's what me and Miller Lite are thinking anyway.
I may try this when i clean this pen out this time. Great idea.
We used pine needles in our starter pen for a long time until I suggested we use crushed up charcoal. We would collect the used charcoal from all the neighbors, in burlap bags, and crushed them with sledgehammer. Then we put leaves and pine needles on top ot that. When we moved the pen to the next spot, we plowed everything under, and planted feed crops. Talk about excellent soil fertilizer!
I bet it is.
@@DowdleFamilyFarms I really appreciate that you not only make these wonderfully educational videos, but that you take the time to respond to comments and questions! I've been off the farm for 42 years, and find it nice to relive those days through your communications! Thank you...
I do try, though some days I spend a couple hours responding to comments! It’s nice that someone appreciates it. And you always have some interesting insight.
Love your videos! Learn a lot!
Same
Thank you both.
Really like your videos. Thanks for posting.
I'm glad you like it. Thanks for the kind words.
I really appreciate your channel!
Happy to hear that!
This is awesome thank you.
glad you liked it.
@DowdleFamilyFarms do I have to give a shot to my pigs that have amonua? Or can I give it a pill, if so what kind...I do have access to LA300
thank u 4 your info
why do you not use a dropping system for watering your pigs? pigs like to come inside a water and make it unusable after a day or 2
I'm not sure what you mean by "dropping system" unless you mean something like pig nipple waterers. If that's what you are asking about they tend to be more problematic on pasture in my experience, especially in the cold and heat. Water tanks work really well as long as the pigs cannot get inside the water tank, which is why I run an electric line across the fence.
Sorry if you said it and I missed it but do you have any info on those gravity feeders? Size/brand etc.
I do not, but I would not recommend them for outdoor use. They came from a confinement hog barn. they are nursery feeders.
Rob, I need your advice. We have a batch of 10 pigs on paddock. We are moving weekly. In a couple of months, I want to get another batch of feeder pigs. Do you recommend a completely separate paddock for the new batch, or can we simply add them to the existing herd? We have lots of flexibility to increase paddock size. Just kind of hoping I don’t need to create a double set of stuff.Thanks!
I don't recommend it for a couple reasons, though I understand the desire to do it. First, its best to quarantine pigs new animals when they come to your farm. Especially if they come from a different farm. Its a great way of spreading disease, parasites, etc. Especially if they were wormed at different times.
Second, you can keep different sized pigs in paddocks but its a great way of killing piglets if you don't do it right. I had that happen once. They need to be introduced slowly, they need plenty of space to run away, and a way to get out of sight of the other pigs. The older pigs will often run the new pigs through electric fencing. They also need to be on free choice feed initially, or they need to be fed separately.
That said, I keep different groups of feeder pigs together, but I sync worming protocols, and all my pigs come from my farm. It can be done, but it takes a good bit of work. If you have feeders now, and are waiting two months, they should be pretty close to going to the processor by the time you get new feeder pigs, unless you are getting kune kune, mangalitsa, IPP, or another slower growing lard type pig.
If you are set on doing it, I'd introduce the older pigs into the pen of the new pigs after quarantining for 30 days and make sure there is plenty of space.
@@DowdleFamilyFarms much appreciated. I have the space to rotate them in separate paddocks, so that would be the best approach.