# A good cheapish auto hog feeder?



## GBov (May 4, 2008)

We are having a problem getting our hogs up to weight and was wondering if there was such a thing as a good cheapish automatic hog feeder on the market?

We feed once a day - afternoons - and have a friend feed for us weekends and a bit in the morning but I think mornings and weekends have been a bit hit or miss sometimes but the gas it takes to get to the hogs makes it impossible for us to go twice a day.

I have seen auto feeders at the hunting supply store and they look quite good but they have that feed thrower thing in them. Can it be taken out and the feed just let to fall for a bit into their trough? 

The only other one I found on line is this one http://www.countryhorizons.net/images/HC0104.jpg but how well do they hold up? Pigs being so strong and ours are in a dirt/sand/mud pen and love nothing better than standing in their food, how does it keep their feet out?

Sorry to throw so many questions at y'all but my hubby has gotten involved with my pig project :hair and "We need to fatten them up NOW NOW NOW!" - 

Good thing I love the man or it would be blunt instrument time lol.


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

Our breeding stock is on a maintenance diet so they don't get huge too fast, but our meat hogs get all the feed they want whenever they want it. I want them up to weight as fast as they can get there. Have you considered a regular feeder so they can eat free choice, and with a good supply of water, they wouldn't even need to be visited daily, if gas is a problem. 

We made a two hole feeder this spring from one sheet of plywood and some salvaged mobile home roofing. It holds over 100 lb of feed and cuts way down on waste.


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## Kansas30 (Jul 8, 2011)

I agree. Just get a standard 'free choice' feeder. I bought 3 of my feeders for $70.00/each and one for $100.00. As long as they have access to water you wouldn't need to go out there more than once or twice a week. They will fatten up on their own. I try and feed mine 41/2 months on free range pasture then I pen them up and let them go free choice for 2 months. I just dropped 9 off at the butcher last week. They were all between 270-300lbs at 6 1/2-7 months. They were all heritage crosses so they do grow a bit slower than most commercial breeds. That being said there were 6 other pens of hogs at the butcher (all commercial lean hogs). I have no idea what these hogs weighed but they looked sickly and emaciated in comparison to my hogs. I actually had one of the folks that work at the butchers ask if I could raise and feed one out for him. My little hogs looked like puffy marshmallows with feet.


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## GBov (May 4, 2008)

Will they not over eat with a free feeder? These are our first ever pigs and so we are learning lots about pigs just trying to fatten these three up.

First thing learned, dont buy the cheapest cause we wound up with a runt 

Second thing learned, the seller might say feed three pounds each per day, upping it to five a day in three months or so but that isn't enough to make fat pigs, just bony ones.

Third thing learned, you guys are GREAT! When ever I have another question I know I can come here and get the info I need to keep me pigs happy and healthy.

Thanks guys :thumb:


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

They are fed free choice in most every operation. It must work. I certainly didn't invent it.


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## Kansas30 (Jul 8, 2011)

How old are the pigs now?
Let them over eat... That's how they get fat..


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## GBov (May 4, 2008)

Kansas30 said:


> How old are the pigs now?
> Let them over eat... That's how they get fat..


They are five months old now and weigh 70, 85 and 38 pounds. 

I was TRYING to show my hubby that I could raise some pork for at or less than the price of supermarket pork with lots more flavor and the fun of having them.

Due to lack of know how, I seem to be failing so far at my goal. Well, at least the price that is, they sure are fun to have lol.

Where does one find a two door feeder for $70?


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## Kansas30 (Jul 8, 2011)

I don't know if they sell a two door feeder. I found all of mine on Craigslist though. I just typed in 'used hog equipment or used pig equipment'. They are generally cylindrical and have somewhere between 6-12 doors. My big one holds 6,000lbs and my 3 little ones hold 2,000lbs. They should weigh more than that though at 5 months. Are you guessing their weights or have you actually put them on a scale. The hardest thing for me STILL is guessing hogs weights. Going by age works MUCH better for me. On the last batch of hogs I took to the butcher I would of guessed their weights at 180-220lbs but age told me they should be around 250-300. Sure enough they were between 270-300lbs. I ALWAYS guess low.


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## Kansas30 (Jul 8, 2011)

Unless you got a strange breed there is NO WAY a 5 month old hog weighs 38lbs, even if it was the runt. Any chance you can find out the breed?


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

Are they wormed? That is tiny at 5 months.

Here are some small feeders that work good in a pen. http://www.provico.com/hogpigfeeders.html


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## Kansas30 (Jul 8, 2011)

I guess I will eat my words. In Florida Craigslist I just pulled up a $25.00 single door feeder in Ocala. Not sure how much it will hold though. On free choice at that age my hogs will eat around 8-10#'s of feed per day. If it will hold 150#'s or more I wouldn't mind having one...


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## Kansas30 (Jul 8, 2011)

Ed,
I know I don't know much about hogs, but even a worm infested runt should weigh more than 38 pounds at 5 months. Shouldn't it? I can only guess that pig is NOT a standard breed..


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## GBov (May 4, 2008)

Kansas30 said:


> Unless you got a strange breed there is NO WAY a 5 month old hog weighs 38lbs, even if it was the runt. Any chance you can find out the breed?


He is black with a white shoulder and leg. No way to find his breeding but we were told he was a Yorkshire/Hampshire. He has a strong hint of wild pig in the straightness of his face and uprightness of ears.

We are measuring length from base of ears to base of tail and around the chest, right behind the forelegs and then my hubby does some math thing and says in a firm, confident voice "He now weighs bla bla bla!"

The smallest pig is very mean at feeding times so he is not going without but he is very small. On the good side he has grown two inches longer over the last four weeks and they all look meaty instead of bony so we are feeding enough now but a feeder would make all our lives easier.

Thanks for the craigslist tip, shall have a look now.


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## GBov (May 4, 2008)

Ed Norman said:


> Are they wormed? That is tiny at 5 months.
> 
> Here are some small feeders that work good in a pen. http://www.provico.com/hogpigfeeders.html


I wormed with ivermec when we got them and a four weeks ago. The first time the pen was full of six to eight inch pinkish horrors. I didnt see any the second time.


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## Ed Norman (Jun 8, 2002)

according to this chart, you are doing alright, if you use kilos instead of pounds. Meaning they should weigh 2.2 times as much as they do. http://www.thepigsite.com/stockstds/17/growth-rate

Here is how to measure for weight, but you aren't even up to the start of the chart yet.
http://www.askthemeatman.com/how_to_estimate_weight_of_live_pork.htm

KS30, all I know is those hogs need all the help they can get, so worming could not hurt a thing.

added: Good, you wormed them. Now turn them loose at the dinner buffet and let them grow.


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## GBov (May 4, 2008)

Ed Norman said:


> according to this chart, you are doing alright, if you use kilos instead of pounds. Meaning they should weigh 2.2 times as much as they do. http://www.thepigsite.com/stockstds/17/growth-rate
> 
> Here is how to measure for weight, but you aren't even up to the start of the chart yet.
> http://www.askthemeatman.com/how_to_estimate_weight_of_live_pork.htm
> ...


Just sent an e-mail to the Ocala hog feeder add but even if I dont get that one, one is DEFF. in our pigs future!


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## Kansas30 (Jul 8, 2011)

You have to let us know if he was using the formula for Kilos instead of pounds. If he was it will be one of the funnier things I've come across in years. The only thing that would be funnier is if he made you raise them to 250 kilos before they could be butchered. Now that would me 'Some Pig'!


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## GBov (May 4, 2008)

Kansas30 said:


> You have to let us know if he was using the formula for Kilos instead of pounds. If he was it will be one of the funnier things I've come across in years. The only thing that would be funnier is if he made you raise them to 250 kilos before they could be butchered. Now that would me 'Some Pig'!


LOL! It would be funny but sadly, no, he was working it up in pounds. Black pig is very small but is a nice pig shape, not like a mutant tea cup pig.

Right now, if he continues to fatten up, he will fit in the roasting pan nicely. Might have him for Thanksgiving instead of the turkey. I can hear the turkeys now yelling "Eat more food little pig, eat moooooore foooooood!"


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## CarolT (Mar 12, 2009)

I don't know how, but you got a clone of the pig my DGD caught at the greased pig chase last year! Not a runt, got the white shoulder and leg on a black pig and doesn't look anything like a potbelly. He's over a year old now and less than half the size of the 6 month old feeder pigs a friend is raising and my friend thinks hers are undersized!


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## Rogo (Jan 1, 2006)

I have always free choice fed my house pets and livestock. No special feeder. I refill as needed. None are fat, all are just right! None are confined -- all roam free on acreage. House pets have doggy door. It works here.


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## GBov (May 4, 2008)

CarolT said:


> I don't know how, but you got a clone of the pig my DGD caught at the greased pig chase last year! Not a runt, got the white shoulder and leg on a black pig and doesn't look anything like a potbelly. He's over a year old now and less than half the size of the 6 month old feeder pigs a friend is raising and my friend thinks hers are undersized!


I am starting to wish my boy was intact! There is a market in really small NOT potbellied pigs lol.


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## olivehill (Aug 17, 2009)

My Guinea Hogs weigh more than that at 5 mos. :huh:


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## tailwagging (Jan 6, 2005)

Ed Norman said:


> Are they wormed? That is tiny at 5 months.
> 
> Here are some small feeders that work good in a pen. http://www.provico.com/hogpigfeeders.html


thank you for the link!


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## CarolT (Mar 12, 2009)

I wonder what I'd get crossing him with my bigger potbelly girl? DGD is 6 and he's her pet, so it's not like he'll be going anywhere... He looks nothing like a pb, so wonder if the litter would have the snub nose, etc or look more like him? Also, I know some try limiting feed to keep pb small, how much can you keep a regular pig stunted from underfeeding, or can you?

I need one of those smaller feeders....


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## olivehill (Aug 17, 2009)

Nutritional deficiencies result in stunting regardless of the type/size of the animal.


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## CarolT (Mar 12, 2009)

Guess the better question is whether a stunted pig would look properly proportioned, etc? I think he's been getting proper diet but I'm not the one feeding him. If he's only stunted, I wouldn't think I'd want to breed him to my pb even if she's a big girl. If he's genetically smaller there'd be less likelihood of problems.


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## RW kansas hogs (Nov 19, 2010)

Gbov you can get 2 hole feeders from valleyvet.com for $119.95, it hold 100lbs of feed and has a lid to. We use the big round free choice feeders ourselfs, We mix up to a ton at a time and divide it between 3 different feeders. 
To bad your not closer, We just picked 4 big round feeders for free from my boss


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## GBov (May 4, 2008)

The feeder has to wait till pay day but I just got dibs on the spoilt pumpkins at a local pumpkin patch. Most of them only have one little moldy spot or have the stem knocked off.

Good thing my guys like pumpkins, they are going to get lots of them lol.


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## GBov (May 4, 2008)

RW kansas hogs said:


> Gbov you can get 2 hole feeders from valleyvet.com for *$119.95*, it hold 100lbs of feed and has a lid to. We use the big round free choice feeders ourselfs, We mix up to a ton at a time and divide it between 3 different feeders.
> To bad your not closer, We just picked 4 big round feeders for free from my boss


With shipping its $189.

I like the first price better!


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