FreestyleFarm » “Just winging it in the city”

Now that spring is here, let’s take a tour of Henry and Rocco’s bedroom where they spent the winter. But first, here’s some before and after pics of the boys to see how they’ve GROWN! Please excuse the blurriness of the phone pics.

BEFORE: Henry when he first arrived, August 2011, at 8 weeks.

AFTER: Henry at 15 months of age, November 2012.

BEFORE: May 2012.

AFTER: This past weekend. The boys are now too big to share one chair.

Here is Henry’s weight documented:

• 6 months – 20 pounds
• 12 months – 48 pounds
• 18 months – 80 pounds
• 22 months – weight 85 lbs+ (tbd), height 17.5″, length 33″

From what I’ve learned, pigs will continue to fill out after a year, not reaching full size and maturity until 3 years. He is not the 35-40 lb pig I was expecting, but we still love him. All I can say is research your breeder thoroughly, visit with the parents, and 2-3 generations back if you can. Do not believe what you read on websites claiming smaller sizes unless you meet in person. If you are shown a small pig, chances are it’s a young one that is not fully matured.

BEFORE: October, 2012.

Both Henry and Rocco use to sleep in the house, but they prefer to sleep outside in their “room”. They have a little tent of their own, in the back of the garage where they spent the winter. It could be -15 outside, but with a heavy faux mink blanket (from the second hand store) covering their bed, it was toasty warm. A sleeping bag and other blankets (also purchased from the Salvation Army) were added. They do get to come in when it gets REALLY cold at night, but they still prefer their stinky ole bed and the freedom to walk around the backyard, looking for things to “borrow”.

AFTER: Winter boredom spurred the pigs to redecorate their bedroom.

Funny enough, while the lawn cushions and sleeping bag were totally shredded, the Hannah Montana blanket stayed intact. Pigs love to shred, they are clean animals, but their housekeeping is horrendous! Look at their room, what a pigstye!

The boys prefer to pull out the cushions, and instead, add their own decorative touches. Inside I found a running shoe, flip flops, ALL my bubble wrap, leaf bags, pilons, kneepads, a hula hoop, shredded sleeping bag…

“Henry, you took my holly bush?” –– “oink”

“or was it Rocco who dragged it into bed?” –– “oink oink”

“AND my umbrella too?” –– “oink”

“Lucky we love you.” — OINK!