# How safe are pigs to have around the homestead?



## jimandpj (Feb 8, 2006)

So what is the real scoop on the safety of keeping pigs? My husband was always told they were very dangerous. We have very young children, and he is concerned that they are just not safe to keep around.

What do ya'll think?
PJ


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## Shazza (Nov 20, 2004)

We didnt think about this when we got our pigs...Large White Landrace cross...hence Porky the boar is no longer with us. If your children are quite young then I would suggest a small breed probably pot or mini. They are really fun to have around...as long as you set your place up properly to contain them...before you get them. Our sows I would not consider dangerous though.


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## Up North (Nov 29, 2005)

Pigs are no more dangerous than any other large farm animal. Heck I've had more of a problem in my life with big Tom turkeys attacking me than with my pigs. Properly fed hogs in a good pen or fence will usually not pose a problem. I let my kids come in the hog pen with me on a regular basis. There are of course exceptions. One of the first pigs we got was a large gilt and she got mean on us. I had to ban the kids from even walking up to the gate. She quickly was made into pork chops. I haven't had a problem with any others. The pigs raised as babies on our farm are very friendly. If you have horses or cows a pig is no more dangerous than one of them. I'd recommend raising pigs to anyone. 

Heather


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## kidsngarden (Mar 24, 2006)

We have a little menegarie of animals here. Goats, pigs, chickens, ducks, rabbits. Rabbits are by far the easiest to raise, but I think pigs are a pretty near close second. But if you want temperament - the pigs beat out the bunnies any day. 

I love our pigs. My youngest is 7 and he goes in with our gilts all the time with no problems. I would not put a preschooler in there lone, just because of the sheer girth of the pigs. And as with any animal you need to be cautious because you never know.

There are many a day that I have considered drastically reducing our other animals and getting more pigs! They are so fun! just be sure to fence them properly.

kids


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## Misty (May 29, 2005)

You have to watch like any animal. I would cull for disposition, however, my husband doesn't see it that way. If I really thing there is a threat to my kids however, the hog will go (and has gone) away. 
They are easy. My daughter is more comfortable with a pig than a horse.


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## Ronney (Nov 26, 2004)

How safe is it to keep a bull? A bloody site less safe than it is to keep a pig.
Use the same common sense as you would with any animal on the farm. They should be kept in well fenced paddocks and the kids should be told in no uncertain terms that they stay away from them - and this goes for all animals that are considerably larger than them.

All our children grew up with pigs as part of our stock - they are still alive.

Cheers,
Ronnie


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## bill not in oh (Jul 27, 2004)

We raise feeder pigs to market weight, so never have any really big pigs around. I have however been around 5-600 lb pigs and was never concerned for my safety. Good sense and supervision is the rule with any animal. With good housing/fencing pigs pose no more issues than any other domestic animal, less than many. I've had blood drawn from the stupid rabbits - none from pigs. Bruises from the goats / sheep - none from the pigs. If I were limited to raising only one species of livestock it would be no contest - I'd keep pigs. As with all animals there are different personalities; and some pigs can be aggressive. A 200 lb pig is a very powerful animal and I certainly wouldn't allow a small child in a pen unsupervised with pigs. My 12 year old DD feeds and interacts with our pigs routinely and her friends always want to go play with the piggies when they come over. The worst event that has ever occurred is one of her friends getting her boots stuck in the muck and having to walk out of the pen in her socks - they still recall that story and laugh about it...


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## Firefly (Dec 7, 2005)

The scare stories are of farmers falling or being knocked down, going unconscious, and being eaten. Living alone with no one to rescue me from such situations, I have taken this seriously. I generally don't go inside their pen unless they are eating, becasue at that time they'll ignore me unless curiosity gets the better of them. Sometimes just after they've eaten, but never if they're hungry. They aren't mean; in fact they are super sweet, friendly, and so lovable that I'm keeping one to breed. But they do get rambunctious and push against you, and have almost pushed me over a couple of times. They also like to nibble at bare toes, and feet in general. But they eat out of my hand, which I used to flatten like with feedinig horses, but now just hold out the food. I would teach kids the flat-hand method, though. Those teeth are big!

I'd definitely start with a couple of piglets. I guarantee that if you get pigs, the hardest part will be sending them to freezer camp!


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## SpringCreek (Apr 27, 2005)

Up North said:


> Heck I've had more of a problem in my life with big Tom turkeys attacking me than with my pigs.


I thought I was the only one! We had a roving gang of toms that would constantly try to attack my boys. Obviously, they're in the freezer.

The pigs have been no problem. In fact, our sow is more like a dog. Nonetheless, we do have a rule--no boys in the pig pen without an adult.


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## vancom (May 5, 2006)

we have 3 kids--youngest is a small 8 year old girl. Now, our pigs are only 3.5 months old, but she's in there with them when necessary and never a problem so far. Now, they do like to nibble on my kneecaps so I only hang out with them when I am wearing pants!

when they weigh more I might be a little more concerned but they are freezer fillers so they won't be humongous...my sister in law is tiny and works with huge sows. My 8 year old daughter visiste dher farm this summer and they took pictures--oh my those are some hefty ladies. Now I know why Dorothy was so afraid of the pigpen.

Vanessa
near Nashville


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## caroline00 (Nov 10, 2002)

well, I had trouble keeping my 8 and 10 year old boys out of the pig pen this spring.... They would ride them and come in all covered with muck!

When we took our lonely pig to be bred (the others went to freezer camp) they asked the breeder if they could ride the boar... he said *sure* but the boar wouldnt cooperate... he stood up and they couldnt get on


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## John Schneider (Sep 9, 2005)

I think it is an old wives tale about falling in a pen of hogs and getting eaten! I have thrown chickens in the hog pen that have been killed by the moving pens or some other disaster and the hogs will leave them for days until I finally have to throw them in the bush for the stink. I don't throw chickens in the pen anymore. In my opinion the most dangerous farm animal on earth are horses, followed by cows and you don't often hear of people being scared to acquire a horse for their kids! Like others have said, any big animal is potentially dangerous for a variety of reasons. I big pig can be dangerous to a small kid because of their shear size alone...not because they will attack. A sow with piglets could be another story and they should be left alone completely by children and watched closely by adults when handling etc. This is no different than a cow though.


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## GeorgeK (Apr 14, 2004)

sounds like the Space shuttle O-Ring. Just because it hasn't happened to you personally yet doesn't mean it isn't a potential problem. When TSHTF it is a disaster. ALWAYS remember that a pig is just as willing to eat you, as you are willing to eat it. I have personally taken care of people mawed by pigs and have met people who have lost family members to pigs. they are infrequent, but they are not urban myths. Comparing a bull to a boar isn't exactly the same because a bull will only attack if it's in a bad mood, A pig might also attack if it's hungry as well as being in a bad mood (so two potential reasons to attack as opposed to one). 

OTOH there are gentle giants of all species.I took care of one guy (for non pig related things) who gave me a picture of him in the stall with his 1200 pound blue ribbon boar. Like Firefly said, if you want pigs and there is a potential concern about being alone, then get a smaller variety, and definately cull for disposition. Also a smaller variety could be controlled by a livestock Guardian dog who could be with you in the pasture if need be. 




vancom said:


> and never a problem so far
> near Nashville


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## John Schneider (Sep 9, 2005)

George...with all due respect to you. It is just my experience that a pig (of any size) is *not* as willing to eat you as you are it. That is simply not true in my experience of being a third generation hog farmer. I am a small producer, but my father and grand-father and cousins were/are not small. Any farm dog is FAR more likely to injure or mame someone than a pig is. You are correct though when you say that you need to be careful...my point is that you needn't be any LESS careful with any other farm animal. Being kicked by a cow or horse is very dangerous and I have been hurt by both...and no, a bull does not need to be in a bad mood to hurt you. In fact you are probably more likely to be hurt by a cow or a horse when they are in a GOOD mood and are running about like happy idiots. Being bit by a quilled farm dog is dangerous...and I have been. I am not saying don't be careful, I am simply saying that the myths are farther from the truth than people think. These are just my opinions based on being around 10's of thousands of pigs over a few short decades. Like I said before, if you are concerned about the safety of your family because of pigs, you should re-think owning horses, cows or dogs.


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## RedHogs (Jul 7, 2006)

I'm sporting a new pair of boots, because my boar air conditioned the last pair.... He was in my opinion just playing and tasting the boot, but that was a close call. My best sow is called "devil woman" and not beacuse i like the song. Now, my boar is breed very often and hyped up all the time, and my sows constanly jockey for top position.... but pigs in a group are very unpredictable. I sell my hogs with the disclaimer that, "a hog will love and kill you the same day." I tell parents of 4-h kids that that grown hogs are a "together" project and not kid safe.


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

They could be dangerous just as dogs and cattle could be dangerous. We have about 100 pigs (30 breeding sows + some offspring raising up for market) and we have children 3-14. I would not leave my young ones unattended with the pigs and I wouldn't set a baby down near them, just like I wouldn't around cattle. Don't hand feed them if you like your fingers.

All that said, the pigs are remarkably gentle. They have never bitten us. We have had toes stepped on. Wear boots. Teach the pigs to be gentle. You should be fine but no guarantees.


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## susieM (Apr 23, 2006)

They eat chickens and baby goats...alive. My neighbor has a few less toes. Mind the kids.


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## kesoaps (Dec 18, 2004)

Y'know, lots of folks will tell you that llamas are mean and unruly, as that's been their experience. They'll tell you that about mustang horses, too. 

We had pigs growing up, and I'd venture to say pigs are like the rest of the animal kingdom; there are a few rank ones out there, but by and large they're going to behave if they're treated well. As kids (okay, we weren't toddlers) we'd go out and 'piggie sit'; the mammas would take a little pig nap while the babies would turn to us for amusement. They were no different than puppies, the the sows were thankful to have a 15 minutes breather.

Obviously, you're not going to want to put your little ones out with the pigs. But if you want to raise one, check out your local 4-H or FFA clubs/chapters and see who's got some nice mannered piggies out there. Piglets are adorable and can be very sweet. Raising one or two for the table shouldn't present you with any problems.


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## 6e (Sep 10, 2005)

Actually, we had a man that was a dear friend to my dad that raised hogs and he had a heart attack one day and fell in with the pigs and before anyone could get him out the pigs killed him. And we have had a sow that was a mean old thing. She would attack the fences, but she got eaten.
The rest of our pigs, we just use common sense. We do not let the kids go in with them or let our toddler reach through the fence just for the sake that the pigs might mistake fingers for a snack. My hubby goes in with them, but none of the rest of us do. I wouldn't say they're any more dangerous than any other large animal. Have you ever been around a billy goat in rut?????


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## GeorgeK (Apr 14, 2004)

Like I said John, it's just like the O-ring. BTW what is a "quilled dog"




John Schneider said:


> George...with all due respect to you. It is just my experience that a pig (of any size) is *not* as willing to eat you as you are it. That is simply not true in my experience of being a third generation hog farmer. I am a small producer, but my father and grand-father and cousins were/are not small. Any farm dog is FAR more likely to injure or mame someone than a pig is. You are correct though when you say that you need to be careful...my point is that you needn't be any LESS careful with any other farm animal. Being kicked by a cow or horse is very dangerous and I have been hurt by both...and no, a bull does not need to be in a bad mood to hurt you. In fact you are probably more likely to be hurt by a cow or a horse when they are in a GOOD mood and are running about like happy idiots. Being bit by a quilled farm dog is dangerous...and I have been. I am not saying don't be careful, I am simply saying that the myths are farther from the truth than people think. These are just my opinions based on being around 10's of thousands of pigs over a few short decades. Like I said before, if you are concerned about the safety of your family because of pigs, you should re-think owning horses, cows or dogs.


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## GeorgeK (Apr 14, 2004)

right, that's why it's important to cull for disposition and have an emergency "out" of any and all situation. Same goes for any livestock




kesoaps said:


> Y'know, lots of folks will tell you that llamas are mean and unruly, as that's been their experience. They'll tell you that about mustang horses, too.
> 
> We had pigs growing up, and I'd venture to say pigs are like the rest of the animal kingdom; there are a few rank ones out there, but by and large they're going to behave if they're treated well. As kids (okay, we weren't toddlers) we'd go out and 'piggie sit'; the mammas would take a little pig nap while the babies would turn to us for amusement. They were no different than puppies, the the sows were thankful to have a 15 minutes breather.
> 
> Obviously, you're not going to want to put your little ones out with the pigs. But if you want to raise one, check out your local 4-H or FFA clubs/chapters and see who's got some nice mannered piggies out there. Piglets are adorable and can be very sweet. Raising one or two for the table shouldn't present you with any problems.


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## HeatherDriskill (Jun 28, 2005)

I agree that if you use common sense you'll be fine. We showed pigs in 4H when we were little bitty kids and no problems. We did have one pig that could be a biter, but that just taught us to watch out for him. As long as the pigs are fenced in and you don't let a little one in there by themselves, you should be good to go. I wouldn't keep a boar around, but I also wouldn't keep a stallion, bull or buck goat. They are just too hormonal to trust!


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## John Schneider (Sep 9, 2005)

Heather...you are bang on! 

I guess we are saying the same thing George. I agree. You are indeed correct when you talk about breeding for temperment. A quilled dog is a dog with porcupine quills in him! Ouch! Redhogs...wow! you have some character traits with your pigs! My sows and boar are so laid back they roll over for belly rubs and I would never consider allowing them to taste my boot to begin with.

I just see an over-excuberance of "Pig Horror Stories". I would put my neck out there and make the comment that for every pig injury there have been 10 times the amount of horse injuries and 100 times the amount of dog injuries even taking in to account that there are many more dogs than pigs. Missing toes and fingers are most likely a lot more common to horse owners than pig owners. People want stories of a personal nature? My wife was 7 months pregnant when we needed to give a shot to one of our warmbloods...a neighbor started a 2-stroke motobike and the horse bolted, and temporarily pinned my wife against a fence...she is a good horsewoman too. Her and our Son were alright, but it was scary for awhile. One of our friends, Tony, was killed 5 years ago loading a horse into a trailer when it reared and came down on him. Another friend was thrown head first into a wall and broke her back, she is ok now. An acquaintence of my wife had her breast ripped off by a biting horse. Broken toes and lower leg injuries are pretty common when loading/handling cattle according to my cousin who raises Angus.

I think everyone here agrees that any farm animal has the potential to be dangerous...I would just put pigs near the bottom end of the list based on my own experiences. It sure does seem to depend on the pig though!!! Choose your stock wisely would be my best advice to anyone buying any species of animal.


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## Steve L. (Feb 23, 2004)

John Schneider said:


> I guess we are saying the same thing George. I agree... I would never consider allowing them to taste my boot to begin with...Missing toes and fingers are most likely a lot more common to horse owners than pig owners. People want stories of a personal nature? My wife was 7 months pregnant when we needed to give a shot to one of our warmbloods...a neighbor started a 2-stroke motobike and the horse bolted, and temporarily pinned my wife against a fence...she is a good horsewoman too. Her and our Son were alright, but it was scary for awhile. One of our friends, Tony, was killed 5 years ago loading a horse into a trailer when it reared and came down on him. Another friend was thrown head first into a wall and broke her back, she is ok now. An acquaintence of my wife had her breast ripped off by a biting horse. Broken toes and lower leg injuries are pretty common when loading/handling cattle according to my cousin who raises Angus.
> 
> I think everyone here agrees that any farm animal has the potential to be dangerous...


I agree completely with George K., and I think that we also tend to loose track of the fact that a lot of the people we're 'talking' to _don't_ really understand how dangerous large animals can be. 

We've all been hurt pretty badly (or at least know someone who has), and we're pretty comfortable about handling those same animals the next day. 

We know how to act around them, 'read' them, and we know what _not_ to do, when to get out, get to safety. There are newbies out there who don't. 

They don't understand that when Farmer Bob says "Oh, sure, Betsy here is real gentle", all he's telling you is that she hasn't tried to kill anybody, yet (she probably won't, either, but it's up to _us_ to be safe).


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## HeatherDriskill (Jun 28, 2005)

Steve L. said:


> I agree completely with George K., and I think that we also tend to loose track of the fact that a lot of the people we're 'talking' to _don't_ really understand how dangerous large animals can be.
> 
> We've all been hurt pretty badly (or at least know someone who has), and we're pretty comfortable about handling those same animals the next day.
> 
> ...


Good point...


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## RedHogs (Jul 7, 2006)

John has said my hogs must have some character trait issues... and he is right, Others say cull for disposition. With show hogs, why not cull out the losers and live with the mean ones.... I said my best sow was mean, and I am understating it when I say MEAN!!!! My average sows better be the nicest, easist keepers on the farm. Hogs breeders will have different goals, some farms will just produce mean and aggressive hogs.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Im just speculating here but Id imagine the stories of pigs killing people are true. Remember that not so long ago people didnt run to the feed store to get supplies so there were probably a lot of pigs kept that werent all that well fed. And in those days people didnt have a lot of leisure time so they didnt "socialize" their animals. I imagine many of them were half wild. Too often we make the mistake of only thinking about things within our narrow range of perception, without considering conditions havent always been the same. No one doubts a wild boar is a VERY dangerous animal. Domestic pigs are just one generation removed from reverting back to that behavior


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## Steve L. (Feb 23, 2004)

jimandpj said:


> So what is the real scoop on the safety of keeping pigs? My husband was always told they were very dangerous. We have very young children, and he is concerned that they are just not safe to keep around.
> 
> What do ya'll think?
> PJ


 I just realized that I didn't address your question. 


> My husband was always told they were very dangerous.


So are power tools, hand tools, cars, and stoves. 


> and ... they are just not safe to keep around.


Are power tools, hand tools, cars, and stoves 'safe to keep around'?

My sisters and I were raised around all of the above (including pigs and all manner of livestock), and we managed to live to adulthood. 

Just take proper care of your kids. Don't let them play with 'dangerous' things, or get into 'dangerous' situations.


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

susieM said:


> They eat chickens and baby goats...alive. My neighbor has a few less toes. Mind the kids.


Train them not to. The electric chicken works wonders. Our pigs do not eat our ducks, goose, chickens, guineas, sheep, etc although they do pasture with all of the above.



RedHogs said:


> John has said my hogs must have some character trait issues... and he is right, Others say cull for disposition. With show hogs, why not cull out the losers and live with the mean ones.... I said my best sow was mean, and I am understating it when I say MEAN!!!!


We select for disposition among other traits. I do not tolerate mean animals and our best sows (30) are very gentle ladies who wean high numbers of excellent piglets. Our boars are also gentlemen.

I have one use for mean animals - they taste great.


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## Misty (May 29, 2005)

RedHogs said:


> John has said my hogs must have some character trait issues... and he is right, Others say cull for disposition. With show hogs, why not cull out the losers and live with the mean ones.... I said my best sow was mean, and I am understating it when I say MEAN!!!! My average sows better be the nicest, easist keepers on the farm. Hogs breeders will have different goals, some farms will just produce mean and aggressive hogs.


Our meanest duroc just got bred by the In Demand boar who is a white exotic. She is just going to have those babies...I will not go near her with a needle in our out of a crate....I hate her. If she gets sick, she better get sick enough to die because I am not going to give her shots. That pig is on her own.


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## FarmGoddess (Sep 21, 2006)

The idiot across from me had, emphasis on the word "had" a potbelly pig as a pet. He kept it inside until it weighed about 200 pounds and started tearing the place apart. Then he shoved it outside to fend for itself. First thing it did was tear through the fence and make itself to home on my place. After over a months worth of torn up fences, wrecked gardens, attempted break ins of my poultry run, and numerous requests for neigbor to come and get the damn thing, Piggy, who 'was' sporting four inch recurved tusks, got tangled in a fence it was trying to wreck in order to tear up my garden, and this was after he'd taken a run at my husband who was trying to keep him out. Needless to say, Piggy is now at the processors becoming sausage. 

A potbelly pig is not 'gentle'. Anything with teeth like that knows it and is more than prepared to use them. And certainly doesn't belong in the house. 

My autie use to raise some big old white pigs, don't know what breed they were, but the brood sow could have been a sofa. As kids my cousins and I use to climb all over her, and she wasn't adverse to giving us a 'piggyback' ride. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone. Her name was Susie and I think she may have had a small amount of brain damage but as long as she was being fed and petted, she was a big happy girl. Had a tendency to roll over and squash her babies, though....


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## EasyDay (Aug 28, 2004)

In my experience, I'd have to agree that when healthy pigs are raised from a young age, they aren't "mean". However, they are stout and VERY powerful for their size. The pigs used to be on MY chore list, but DH has taken over now that our breeding sow is about 550 lbs, and we always have a couple of feeders up to 240 lbs for our pork supply.

"Stella" still thinks she's the same 15 lb pig as when we got her. She wants to rub on us and make us rub her head and ears. One small rub could easily put me on my butt. And I wouldn't trust ANY pig if I was down in the dirt. I say watch the kids.

I don't think Stella would hurt me intentionally, but she doesn't know her strength, and she'd never understand that her taste-testing (as they do with Everything!) could severely injure me.

~EasyDay


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## dezeeuwgoats (Jan 12, 2006)

Pigs were the last meat project we tried - out of fear - never having had pigs before. As soon as we got the first one back from the processor, we wished we had had the nerve to start with them first! Even a few weeks without a pig is too many for us now. We raise four a year for our own use, this time my twelve year old raised an extra one as a $$ making project. He just sold him for $3.50 a pound hanging weight, plus the buyer pays processing. We buy weaned piglets to raise for the freezer - we have never bred any. I did buy a cute little gilt, red and white, but she is a SPITFIRE, and as far as temperament goes, I'm thinking she is a might too much to handle for us. She is in with two castrated males (I'm a goat lady, but I KNOW they aren't called wethers, lol) that are twice, and three times again her size and they are AFRAID of her!

I'd encourage you to build a STOUT pen, or use electric fencing and get a piglet or two. I think my youngest son was three when we had our first pig. I have three boys and all of them are very respectful of the pigs. They play with the piglets, but at a certain size, they just don't feel comfortable being in with them anymore. We've had nice ones and mean ones - our dog could always tell the mean ones and would stand next the fence opposite of the corner where we fed the pigs, to 'distract' them away from us while we filled the trough. The nice ones, the dog would just ignore!

Niki


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## piglady (Sep 28, 2006)

I personally think breed has a lot to do with it just as in dogs. We have had pigs that I did not go in the pen with but switched to the Large Blacks and found they are nothing like the others we had. One thing for sure is you never want to trust a boar. Also, I would never feed a hog by hand no matter how tame it seems. My mom is in her 80's and she tells the story of their pigs growing up. Dad always told her to stay out of the pen so they threw the scraps etc. over into the pen. When the parents would go to the field to work, the older girls would have to baby sit the little ones so one day they got tired of it. They put the baby in the middle of the pig pen, sprinkled corn around her legs and ran to the house. Once in the house, they started feeling guilty and wondering how they were going to explain this to the parents so they ran back out to see what happened. The baby was laughing at the hog as she moved the little girls leg to get at the corn. My guess is God was with her. Thankfully mom never tried that with me!


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