Are Pigs Easy to Take Care Of? The Honest Truth

So you are ready to add something new to the homestead and are considering pigs. This may have you wondering, are pigs easy to take care of? After years of raising many pigs, I’ll give you an honest look at what it’s like raising pigs on the homestead.

Are Pigs Easy to Take Care of? The Honest Truth

When it comes to the question, are pigs easy to take care of, the answer is yes and no.  Raising pigs on your homestead will have its ups and downs. While it’s easy to provide proper care for them daily, they are extremely intelligent animals that can give you a run for your money.

Are Pigs Easy to Take Care of on the Homestead?

Let’s start by taking a look at the basics of keeping pigs on your homestead.  We can then take a look at the pros and cons of keeping pigs.

Feeding Pigs on the Homestead

In my opinion, pigs are one of the easiest animals to raise when it comes to feeding them.  Pigs can eat just about anything from leftover food scraps, fruits, veggies, whole eggs, almost anything. I rarely think twice when throwing leftovers to my pigs. 

As far as pig feed goes, they thrive on grains, protein, and lots of fresh water.  Grains are best absorbed rolled, cracked, or soaked while soybean is often the go-to for protein in commercial pig feeds. Buying in bulk and soaking the feed is a good idea. 

Soaking Pig Feed

Soaking your pig feed will do a couple of things for you. First, it’ll bulk up the feed, saving you money. Secondly, soaking or fermenting the feed makes the nutrients easier for the pigs to absorb and increases the probiotics in the feed.

How to Soak Pig Feed

How much feed you soak at a time will vary according to how many pigs you keep.  You do not want to soak too much at once for a long time, as it can get moldy. You don’t ever want to feed moldy food to your pigs.  

Start by filling the container of your choice half full of feed.  Top the rest of the container off with water. Close it up and let it sit for 24 hours.  

After absorbing the liquid for 24 hours, you’ll have a container full of fermented pig feed.  In my climate, I can feed out of this container for three days before it starts to get moldy.  

Housing for Pigs on the Homestead

Outdoor shelter for pigs is relatively simple.  It needs to be sturdy enough to withstand pigs rubbing and scratching up against it.  They need shelter from extreme cold along with shade and mud in extreme heat.  

Our pig shelters are three-sided structures with a roof.  During farrowing time, we often add a tarp for the front to keep cold drafts down. 

Truth be told though, our pigs will often choose to be out in the elements.  They will snuggle when cold and wallow in the mud when hot.  You can often find them spending a lot of time running, and playing in the rain. 

Fencing for Pigs on the Homestead

Are pigs easy to take care of you ask?  When it comes to fencing the answer is a clear no.  And trust me, we’ve done it all types of pig fencing. 

Best Fencing Options for Pigs

Fences are not created equal when it comes to keeping pigs contained. They definitely have specific needs. 

A good friend told me once, “Do it right, or do it twice.”  Even when done right, you still may find that you have a hard time and need regular maintenance on your fence lines. 

Pigs are Hard on Fences

I honestly cannot tell you how many times we have redone pig fences.  I’ll say it again, pigs are hard on fences!

Electric Fencing

Electric fencing is a great option for pig fencing.  The best electric fence for pigs may come down to your terrain you keep the pigs on.  Some are better for wooded areas vs pastures and such.  

Pigs do need to be trained on electric fence for it to be effective. Electric fences also need to be checked often as they can short out easily. You can check out my blog post on the best electric fence for pigs to learn more.

Hog Panels for Pig Fencing

For permanent fencing, hog panels are hands down the best choice for permanent fencing for pigs.  Just be sure not to skimp on using good posts, installed deep into the ground with concrete.  Pigs are strong and can pull a fence post rightout of the ground once they get their head under the fence. 

A Combination of Electric Fence and Hog Panels

Installing a sturdy fence of hog panels and then running a single strand of electric wire that is pig snout high is a great option for a pig enclosure.  Pigs are still rough of fences though.  

You’ll need to check the fence lines regularly.  Once they figure out how to get out it’s really tough to keep them in.

Are Pigs Easy to Take Care of? The Good and the Bad

When it comes to raising pigs, there’s good and bad. Here’s a quick run down of the postive side of raising pigs.

• Zero Food Waste- Since they eat almost anything you’ll have zero food waste.
• Pigs Are Smart- These intelligent creatures have excellent instincts.
• Pigs are Clean- While sometimes muddy they are actually clean animals, meaning they will poop in only one spot of the pen making it easy to clean.
• They Are Social- They love to socialize, spending time with people and other pigs. Friendly pigs especially love scratches. 
• Raise One Sell One- The sale of the second pig will pay for your pork. Did somebody say free bacon?
• Delicious Pork- Way better than store bought pork and you can have it custom cut to your liking.
• They Have Lots of Babies Quickly- Pigs are highly efficient at reproducing. Pigs have a short gestation of 3 months, 3 weeks, and 3 days. They can have between 10-20 piglets per litter!
• Generally speaking, pigs have very few health problems.

Are Pigs Easy To Take Care of? The Bad

When raising pigs, with the good also comes the bad. Here’s a quick run down of why pigs may drive you crazy on your homestead.

• Pigs Eat a Lot- Like a lot. Feeding them twice a day is best.  Be prepared to have lots of feed on hand. Buying in bulk is a good idea.
• Poop a Lot- Since they eat a lot, they poop a lot, which means lots of cleaning for you. Remember though, it’ll be all in one area, as if in litter trays. 
• Escape Artists- This is the biggest issue with pigs in my opinion, by far. They will try your fences and get out.
• Pigs Bathe in Their Water-They drink a lot so a big trough or kiddie pool is nice but you’ll have to clean it often. They love to bathe in the water trough.
• Some Can Be Aggressive- Some pigs are nice and some are not. When they aren’t, look out!
• They Have Lots of Babies Quickly- This can be a bad thing if you aren’t prepared. They have lots of babies quickly. You’ll have to keep the boar separated from the females or you will be overrun with piglets.
• It’s Easy to Become Attached- A friendly pig can be hard to send off to the butcher. You will miss these pigs when they are gone.
• Hard to Load Up and Send Off- I cannot even begin to explain how many hours we have spent trying to load pigs into the trailer. It takes lots of time and preparation.
• Sometimes you’ll have a pig that just will not go into the trailer. It’s always good to have a butcher who is willing to make a home visit just in case. 

Are Pigs Easy to Take Care of? Health and Welfare

When it comes to caring for pigs, their health and welfare needs are pretty simple if you are raising them on the short term for meat production.  Older pigs, like breeding stock or pet pigs, do have some key things to keep in mind for their health and welfare. 

Castrating Male Piglets

In order to control the pig population and control the quality of the meat you will get from a male pig, they must be castrated.  Castration is best done on young pigs and can be done right on the farm. If breeding pigs is a goal for your homestead, you must learn how to castrate pigs. 

Brushing Your Pigs

Pigs love a good brushing. It keeps their skin healthy, exfoliates dry skin, and removes loose hair.  Some folks are more particular with their pigs than others though.  We forgo brushing our pigs and find that they do the job themselves by rubbing up against trees in the pig pen. 

Tusk and Hoof Care for Pigs

As pigs get older their hooves, and those that have tusks, do need to be trimmed.  We have found that it is not necessary when keeping a pig long enough to raise for freezer camp though.  Tusk and hoof care will be more important in your breeding stock or to keep a pet pig in good health.

Are Pigs Easy to Take Care of? Should Pigs Be Kept as Pets?

Ok, I’ll go ahead and address the recent craze of keeping pet pigs.  While I personally would not keep a pet pig, especially indoor pigs, some people actually keep them as companion animals. Since they are social animals some people claim they make great pets and can even be trained to use a litter box. 

In my honest opinion, keeping indoor pigs just goes against their natural behaviors, with the lack of rooting and wallowing in the mud on a hot day.  I question the quality of life they’d have indoors.  If I were ever to entertain keeping a new pet pig, they would still have to be outdoor pigs so they could at least live their best pig life. 

Different Breeds of Pigs that May Make Good Pets

• Potbellied Pigs- Often domesticated pigs, kept as pets, not for meat production.  They are a smaller breed but can reach up to 200 pounds.
• Kune Kune Pigs- Can be kept as pet pigs, meat pigs, or lard pigs.
• Julianna Pigs- A domesticated pig that can average 65 pounds when full grown.  They are one of the smallest breeds of pigs.
• Mini Pigs- AKA Teacup pigs or miniature pigs are often pot-bellied pigs, Julianna pigs, or Kune Kune. They often get much larger than breeders say and are easily over fed making them larger.  The so-called Mini pigs are often given up because of their large size and sent to rescues. 

You can check out the American Mini Pig Association to learn more. They are the right people to contact if you are interested in mini pigs.

How Big Can Miniature Pigs Grow?

Here’s the number one problem with the so-called “Micro Pigs.” That tiny piglet will often get larger than you’d expect.   

Many people who keep pigs as pets eventually get rid of them to a new home because of their full size and commitment. Having a trusted breeder will help you to know exactly what you are buying.

The Importance of a Good Breeder

When choosing any animal, whether it be for meat production or as a pet, the breed is important. The breeder is equally as important. 

Trusted breeders are selective in their breeding stock and will often seek out traits that they would like to keep and even traits to breed out of their stock. This can contribute to the final size, temperament, and features of an animal. 

Are Pigs Easy to Take Care of as Pets?

In my opinion, it all depends on how you try and keep them. Keeping them in their natural environment would be the easiest. I honestly can’t imagine having indoor pigs and expecting them to be amazing pets.

What Do Pet Pigs Eat?

Are pigs easy to take care of? Just like pigs used for meat production, pet pigs need a balanced diet. This can be achieved through a commercial pet pig feed, hay, fruits, and fresh vegetables. 

In Conclusion…

Are pigs easy to take care of? The quick answer is yes and no.  

With the correct setup, you will find that the daily tasks of raising and taking care of pigs are pretty easy. I’m confident that you will also find that all pig owners have their ups and downs when it comes to keeping pigs though.  

I find it funny that every time I keep pigs I am glad to see them go but always end up missing them when they are gone. I guess you’d say the good outweighs the bad. 

Happy Homesteading & Pig Raising,

Jenny @ The GrahamStead Family Farm 

Jenny and her family have been homesteading for more than two decades. They currently live on a 10-acre farm in Northeast Florida, which they built from the ground up, nine years ago. 

On their farm, they grow 100% of their meat and most of their vegetables. With a small herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle, pastured poultry, sheep, and seasonal pigs, they not only meet their family’s meat needs but also sell their surplus to the local community. They are dedicated to sustainable practices like making compost, seed saving, and processing much of their garden and animal harvests at home. You can find Jenny wandering through her garden, making herbal tinctures, preserving food, making bone broth, and one of Jenny’s favorite hobbies, tanning all types of hides.