How often do you feed veggies?

[Ly&Pigs]

Couple of times a week they get corn on the cob!

It's ok to feed husks/silks daily but the corn on the cob itself is better fed only once per week.

Rachy, do you feed everything you mentioned on a daily basis? Some things on your list aren't suitable for daily feeding.

[Rachy1412]

Everything apart from Green beans is fed daily and of course the fruits. Cabbage and Parsley is only a temporary extra food to help my pigs put on weight... my Stone pig does not get them though. What else are they not supposed to have? I know you shouldn't really feed Cucumber because of the water content but the slice is only about 1cm thick. I asked on GL about Rocket and lambslettuce but they didn't know... are those included in the not daily list?

Everything I feed is little and in moderation, which is why they get such a variety. But I am always looking for help in improvements!

Eek, forgot to add they get 1 baby tomato... there will be wheeks all round if I forgot that!

[Ly&Pigs]

Green beans are high in oxalic acid, they are better fed every other day. Cabbage is gassy so it's better fed 2-3 times per week. Cucumber is high in water so better fed every other day and celery is better fed every other day to every 3 days. Parsley is high in calcium as well so better to feed cilantro instead on a daily basis and feed parsley about every 3 days. Mint also should be fed about 3 times per week. The rest of your list is fine for daily. And occasional fruits are fine.

If you have underweight pigs, some extra lettuces, cilantro and bell pepper would be better choices than cabbage and green beans.

[Rachy1412]

Aww they are going to be so upset not getting mint every day. I'll just up the cilantro and more romaine instead of cabbage. Thanks for the help! I will make the adjustments tonight. Going to this new farm shops tomorrow and I'll see what nice lettuces they have on offer.

[newpiggiemommy]

I am heading to the search engine to look up...
3 slices of swede
25grams of Rocket
rosso (?)
lambslettuce

I have not ever heard of any of these! If anyone knows and can explain what they are I would appreciate it!

[Rachy1412]

Swede is Rutabage, rosso is like purple curly endive. Can't really explain Rocket and Lambs lettuce. I can't really find a decent picture of them either!
This is rocket http://www.tandmpics.com/280/7/705.jpg.. all the search engine kept coming up with was Space rockets!!! Lamb lettuce is this: http://fothergills.co.uk/images/deta...alad-large.jpg

[Ly&Pigs]

25grams of Rocket
rosso (?)
lambslettuce

These are just varieties of lettuces. They often come in spring mixes. Fine for daily feeding.

I had forgotten that swede is rutabaga. It's not good daily either. Follow the guidelines for turnips on the nutrition charts for turnips to feed these.

[Rachy1412]

Ahh well, swede is not a favourite among my pigs.. most just leave it alone!

I would be very interested hearing what other UK members feed! I am currently feeding mainly pre packaged stuff and it is costing me an absoloute fortune... I am spending more on my 6pigs, 1 rabbit than I did on my 10pigs a few years back.... damn raising prices! I spend half of my weekly income on veg alone at the moment, compared to only a 1/4 a year ago... this means less money for toys and the big dreaded vet bills!

[newpiggiemommy]

I am not sure where you buy your veggies, but I really watch the "manager specials" (1/2 price veggies) at my grocery store! They are the veggies that are about to expire. I buy them all the time, and I may have to throw away a piece of lettuce or two, but it is still mostly good.

My family and the piggies will go through two and a half bags of spring greens every other day as well as other veggies! So paying 1/2 price is definately a must!

My piggies certainly don't mind and neither does my family!

[Rachy1412]

Oh yes I am always in the bargin bin! I shop at the supermarket mainly but I also go to the grociers to get my rabbit food. Today they gave me two free romaines, a free bunch of mint and a cabbage. They always give me free stuff but it is usually cabbage and carrots which I can't really use often. My grociers started pricing a head of Endive as $3 so I had no choice to switch to bagged... however a new farm shop just opened and they are selling them for only $1.88! Woot we're off there tomorrow to stock up big time.

[Cherish]

Mine get their regular veggies twice a day, and they get very loud if they don't get it on time!

They also get any extra carrot peel etc. when I'm cooking, as my veg is all home-grown without pesticides, and there's no sense in wasting it when there's greedy pigs around!

[Haley0489]

Ah I love this thread! It's helping me so much!

My three boys are still pretty young, so I'm only feeding them two cups a day. If they eat all of it I give them the extra cup, but usually their little tummies are full after two.

I feed them after I wake up in the morning, and then in the late afternoon/early evening. They're daily diet consists of romaine lettuce, 3-4 slices of red and green bell pepper, 1-1.5 grape tomatoes, 1/2 a tiny baby carrot, 1/4-1/2 a sliced strawberry, and 1 small floret of broccoli [they're not too keen on it], and I was giving 1/2 segment of orange a day, but after reading the chart it's now just a treat.

I'll be adding more variety to their diet next week, veggie chart in hand!

[Char-x]

Mine get fed twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening (aproximatly 12 hours apart) although I might start seeing about making this into 3 times a day.

As for each piggy they get this diet roughly:

Daily
AM - 1 large leaf or a couple of small leaves of Romaine lettuce

PM - Same as above with Romaine Lettuce
4 Storks of Corriander (Cilantro in the USA I think)
1 baby carrot
1 baby/grape tomatoe skins (seeds removed/gutted)
Slice of green pepper

Then for variety they have these added on days:
1/4 stick of celery (cut up) - every other day
Slice of red pepper - every four days aprox
2 - 3 storks of Parsley - every other day - alternates with Dill
2 - 3 storks of Dill - every other day - alternates with Parsley
Small handful of Kale - only when we have it in the house - once a week/every two weeks
Pinch of Spinach - hardly ever, prehaps once every three/four weeks
Brocholli - every three days aprox

Then they get fruit once a week which is usually a inch chunk of apple or a grape (they dont get alot of sugary things at all)

They then have unlimited Excel pellets (I know you are suppose to limit them but mine are perfect weight and don't over eat at all)

Then huge amounts of unlimited basic hay from the horse field and unlimited Excel grass hay in hay racks etc (they eat this the most), and Excel Herbal hay in smaller limited amounts (contains dandelion).

As for treats I give them occasionally (twice a week aprox) a handful of Herbal Garden from the Naturals range (Ingredients: Green oat, green wheat, parsley, balm, peppermint, nettle, dandelion, camomile.) and then Ginkgo Plus (Ingredients: Ginkgo leaves, green oat and Aaron's rod).

They did also get those Corn of the cobs the ones you can get at pet stores but Gypsey kept getting them stuck in her teeth, they would get these all the time to keep them from being bored - they wouldnt eat the corn just bite it and leave it on the floor, more like a toy. These are them:
http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/c...gggggggs64.jpg
Just a quick question, what state is corn on the cob suppose to be like when feeding as my mum brought some and it felt soft, whereas this (above) is hard. I would like to know whether to stop feeding them etc.


Any improvements will be welcome with opening arms, LY I would be interested to hear what you think of my pigs diet and what I need to change.

[Ly&Pigs]

Are those dried corn on the cob, if so please get rid of them. Fresh only and only 1/2 a cob of fresh corn on the cob once per week per pig. They can have the husk/silk's daily.

As for treats I give them occasionally (twice a week aprox) a handful of Herbal Garden from the Naturals range (Ingredients: Green oat, green wheat, parsley, balm, peppermint, nettle, dandelion, camomile.) and then Ginkgo Plus (Ingredients: Ginkgo leaves, green oat and Aaron's rod).

Is this stuff dried herbs?

Your main veggie diet looks ok but you need to add in more bell pepper. One slice isn't really enough. About 1/8 of a pepper per day is a good amount.

[Char-x]

Originally Posted by Ly&Pigs

Are those dried corn on the cob, if so please get rid of them. Fresh only and only 1/2 a cob of fresh corn on the cob once per week per pig. They can have the husk/silk's daily.

Is this stuff dried herbs?

Your main veggie diet looks ok but you need to add in more bell pepper. One slice isn't really enough. About 1/8 of a pepper per day is a good amount.

Yeah they were dried (corn), they have none left now so I won't buy them again, thanks for telling me!

This is the herbs, I think they are dried:


Tallulah does have high blood sugar levels which is why I've always kept the bell pepper down quite abit, but I will increase it and see how she goes, thanks again.

[Rachy1412]

char-x I gave the dried corn once as well, it's rubbish! The pigs never touched it... fresh corn on the other hand they love.

I am stopping my pigs third meal all together, some of them have rather mushy poops since I've started that third meal. There are nasty smelly trails of poops up the cuddle cup sides and pigs are getting poop stuck and squashed on their feet. This only started shortly after I fed them a third meal so I am assuming that is what is causing it.