To Catch A Pig

Finally after almost three weeks on the run, I have managed to recapture one of our AWOL pigs, Wrinkles is in the pig pen...

Since the pigs ran off I have spent a lot of time considering pigs, here are some of my thoughts;

• you can lead a pig to a pen, but you can't make them go in
• pigs don't look very aerodynamic but they move very fast when they want to
• don't underestimate the power, strength, intelligence and sheer bloody mindedness of pigs!  
• it is almost impossible to get a pig to go somewhere it doesn't want to go, our pigs weight about 70- 80 kilos each, and that is muscle, don't expect to throw a rope around them and drag them, you don't stand a chance
• pigs have no neck and nothing much to get hold of to grab them, they are also likely to get aggressive if you try
• wear leather gloves, if they panic they may bite and they have very sharp little teeth

I have also spent a lot of time trying to figure out a way to catch them, so here are my tips on pig catching;

• you will need lots of patience and time
• make sure you have lots of food (no surprise there) cake* works best, preferably chocolate cake. In fact, home made cake would probably do the job quicker, but I spent so much time chasing/bribing/chatting to the pig that I didn't have time to make cakes.
• Pig nuts are also good but it takes ages to lead a pig that is trying to find every last pig nut you have thrown for them
• you have to build up trust, it will be very slow
• don't make sudden movements
• start by feeding them were they prefer to be, then over days start to move a little further away until they start to follow you. You will find they will go a little further each time and there will be places they don't like (usually because they smell something unfamiliar). Once you know where these places are the next time you get to that place distract them by throwing extra food
• have the pen/place you want to get them to ready and put some food, water, bedding in it before you get the pig into it
• make sure the pen you are trying to get them into is pig proof, solid wood fence posts, pig netting (don't use sheep or chicken netting, it isn't strong enough)
• Put large heavy tree branches or rocks/bricks around the bottom of the fencing on the pig side to discourage them from trying to dig their way out
• don't use electric fencing on its own unless the pigs are very use to it. I read that you can keep a pig fenced with one or two strands of electric fencing, that is what we had, they went through that and straight through the goats pen which has four strands of electric fencing, they didn't even feel it

Well I would like to say that is the last you will hear from my on the subject of pigs for a while, but I still have another pig to catch and her four piglets, any advice I missed out any pig experts out there?

*I was concerned about feeding Wrinkles sweet unhealthy food, particularly when she needs her vitamins and is definitely fat enough (but that could be something to do with the piglets she is carrying), however when I tried tomatoes and other vegetables she turned her nose up at them.  so my advice is stick to cake.