# Chances of finding lost pig?



## Silvercreek Farmer (Oct 13, 2005)

I guess I counted my pork chops too soon, my Berkshire piglet is missing. We had a big thunderstorm last night (first real one of the season) and when my wife went to check on the animals this morning he was gone. The we had him in an electroplastic fenced pen inside our high tensile perimeter fence, but it appears the lightening knocked out our charger. She found some tracks but has had no luck tracking him down, and I am stuck at work until 5:30. We have only had him a little over a week, so I doubt he really knows where "home" is yet, and and probably hasn't really imprinted on us as "providers". The creek 500 yards away from his pen was running high from the storm, so if he ended up there, he is probably gone for good. I had my wife leave food out for him. Any experience or suggestions?


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

Problem is the pig isn't homed to you or the location yet since it has been there such a short time. I tell people to lock the pigs in tight when they get home and keep them that way for several weeks while they re-home the pig and train the pigs to their voice.

If I didn't have working dogs then I would setup a pig trap:

Pig Trap | Sugar Mountain Farm

with food in it and wait.

Alternatively you can setup a funnel and drive.

Dogs help a lot. We have livestock guardian herding dogs. I simply tell them Pig Out and they will go get the pig and bring it back, across multiple mountains.

Get dogs.

Cheers,

-Walter Jeffries
Sugar Mountain Farm
Pastured Pigs, Sheep & Kids
in the mountains of Vermont
Read about our on-farm butcher shop project:
ButcherShop | Sugar Mountain Farm

Check out our Kickstarting the Butcher Shop project at:
Butcher Shop at Sugar Mountain Farm - Pastured Pigs by Walter Jeffries &mdash; Kickstarter


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

Have you been feeding grain? Did the people you bought the pig from feed grain? Every pig I ever had would run towards the sound of grain shaking ina metal bucket.

It's worth a try. He's probably hungry and would like to go home.


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## gerold (Jul 18, 2011)

You could ask someone with a tracker dog to help locate pig. Take the dog inside the pig pen so the dog will know what to track. Tomorrow see which way the tracks went and try tracking it again.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

easy prey for many NC nightlife.


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## Silvercreek Farmer (Oct 13, 2005)

Good news! I got home and he was hanging around his pen, presumably for something to eat. It appeared he had quite a time while he was out, he was covered in scratches and had been in muddy water up over his shoulders. He had oviously rooted out while the charger was down. I'm just glad we got him back. Funny how ill I felt about an animal we are going to eat!


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## gerold (Jul 18, 2011)

Silvercreek Farmer said:


> Good news! I got home and he was hanging around his pen, presumably for something to eat. It appeared he had quite a time while he was out, he was covered in scratches and had been in muddy water up over his shoulders. He had oviously rooted out while the charger was down. I'm just glad we got him back. Funny how ill I felt about an animal we are going to eat!


Good news. I guess he knows where the food is.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

Happy days!!!


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

Great news!


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