How to Raise Pigs Naturally on a Small Farm

Before we started to raise pigs naturally, we discussed what that would mean on our farm. Since then, many litters of piglets have arrived, showed off how cute they can be, were weaned, fed for a few weeks, or even months in some cases. All were sold and the waiting time would begin again.

The sows had some time off after each litter, to gain some weight, rest and completely dry off. Then, Charlie would welcome them back into his pasture area and the breeding cycle would begin again. We started raising pigs with two sows and Charlie, the boar. Soon after another sow was added.

Learning to Raise Pigs Naturally

We have learned a lot about how to raise pigs naturally on our farm. It’s been a bit of trial and error on some issues as we tried some conventional ideas, and some of our own. One thing we knew from the start, we wanted the pigs to have as close to a natural existence as we could provide for them, in captivity. The project was started by one of our adult children and he has been successful with the whole thing.

Inspired by books on pasture rotation, and sustainable agriculture by Joel Salatin and Gaining Ground by Forest Pritchard, we learned about how to raise pigs naturally in a  pasture setting. We agreed, from the start, that a certain level of cleanliness would be necessary. There were large fenced pastures available but it was a limited space. Fencing in more pasture ground might be possible in the future but it would have to wait. And we have neighborhoods and a road near the farm so security and safety were of high importance.

What We Felt Was Important

The other thing we agreed on was that we absolutely did not want pigs living in close, crowded conditions of filth and manure.  Raising pigs naturally has added a new dimension to our small farm.

Instead of using cement slabs and metal fencing, we used run in stalls open on one side, soft straw and sawdust bedding, along with pallet barriers with wood fencing. The entire area is wired with electric fencing and the interior of the pig acreage is broken into different parcels, fenced and wired. This allowed us to separate pigs as necessary, give the sows some space to raise the piglets and the piglets to be weaned.

Raising Pigs Takes a Lot of Preparation 

Make no mistake, it was a lot of work to get this set up to raise pigs naturally. The buildings were already in place as the area had previously been used as horse paddocks. But they needed repair and needed to be pig proof. Pigs love to escape.

And, when separated, they like to try to get back together. Charlie, Mariah and Layla were quite the bonded family. When each sow would deliver, or right before if we were on our game, she would be escorted to a birthing room with a fenced in area surrounding some lush green grass and weeds. She would be pampered with lots of table scraps, fresh composting veggies and extra hay and feed. The babies would thrive and follow Momma around. All well and good, but while the sow was being treated as queen of her pasture, poor Charlie was looking on from the other side of the fence, forlornly. 

What Really Happens in the Pig Pen

I think this is a good time to back up and explain some pig behavior. Telling you how good the sows are and how Charlie hates to be alone, might lead you to think we treat the pigs as pets. This would be far from the truth. We respect the possibility that the pigs volatile nature means they can turn on us at any minute. A sow protecting her piglets is a force that you do not want to cross. We respect that and take precautions. A pig board is a must between you and the pig at all times. If the piglets need to be handled, at least two people should be on hand, so one can  keep an eye on momma. Pigs might be cute and they sure are smart but they are still livestock and have a volatile nature.

How We Handled Things

Charlie missed his sows and they missed him too. They all paced the fence line trying to spend quality time together. 

With future litters of pigs we tried something a bit different. Layla delivered first and was moved to a maternity suite. Three weeks later Mariah delivered her litter but instead of moving her to a separate area and run in shed, we left her with Charlie.

A lot of  references will tell you that this can end badly with the boar killing and or eating the piglets but if you observe pigs in the wild, that does not happen. While Charlie may not take an active role in raising the piglets, he doesn’t bother them, either. He behaves the same as he always does towards Mariah and is tolerant of the babies. Hopefully this won’t change and of course we keep a close eye on the whole situation. The piglets don’t stay long on our farm before moving on to whomever buys them. 

Rotating Pastures

 Rotation is one key to our pig operation. This allows the vegetation to regrow and the fields from being over filled with pig manure and mud. Since this system works with nature instead of against it, the vegetation regrows quickly and a lush green area is ready for use every three months or so. Of course, if we have a rainy season like we did this spring and early summer, its hard to keep anywhere from becoming muddy.

Escape Artists at Work

Keeping pigs from escaping takes some vigilance and they do eat a good bit of food, vegetation and grain. We try to feed them as naturally as possible but we do have to supplement with some grain. More woodland will be fenced in eventually, and we will see how they do with a more wooded environment, too. No matter how long you farm or homestead, there is always something new to learn. That is my idea of a life well lived. Learning to raise pigs naturally fits into our farm goals.

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