Fantastic news Heidi's Happy Hens are happy to announce the long awaited arrival of a litter of tiny piglets!

They were born on Friday 21st October and already at only one day old they are so friendly.

THE TRUTH 

Here at Heidis Happy Hens we want people to know the TRUTH about these amazing animals.  I hate the phase "Micro Pig" because people expect them to be tiny.  The truth is if you put one next to a normal pig then yes they are loads smaller but tiny NO. 

These pigs or any pig CAN NOT be kept in a house we will not sell anyone a pair of pigs who will be living in a house.  It is not fair on the pigs or on you.

You need alot of outside space, and this will get wrecked.  You will never see pictures of day old piglets put in teacups or placed next to a can of coke on our website.  What you will get is honest advise if I dont think owning pigs are for you.  I will be always tell you, I turn more people away than I sell piglets too.

I often have piglets for sale but if you are interested pick up the phone and ring me, or pop down for a chat.  Please dont text or email.  Anyone who has come down to talk to me about piglets has always been shown the fully grown adults first rather than the cute piglets.

On a plus side if you have the space these really do make amazing pets but rememeber I will turn people away if I dont think your set up is not right.

There is lots of info below for you to read but the best thing to do is come and meet the pigs and have a chat with us.

Hope this helps.

Heidi xx

Caring for your piglet

We take the care of our pigs very seriously and have a responsibilty to our animals to ensure that any person wishing to own one of our animals is made aware of it's basic needs and how to care for it correctly.

Applying to own a pig as a pet

You will need a County Parish Holding number (CPH) to own a pig as a pet. These are free and easy to obtain from the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). Their telephone number is 0845 603 77 77.

Transporting your piglet home

A medium sized plastic or wicker cat carrying case or small dog cage is needed with a locking front on it. Pop some fresh clean straw in the bottom or some blankets. You can not transport your piglet on your lap regardless of the distance.

When you get your piglet home

Keep noise and visitors to a minimum in the first few days to allow your piglet time to settle in and if you have other pets allow them to see each other gradually until they are used to each other.

Your piglet should be confined to a small area at first so that it can get used to it's new surroundings and family gradually, this should normally only be for a few days.

It is good practise to handle your piglet as much as possible and pick up your piglet on a regular basis so that it gets used to you as soon as possible. A good idea is to sit with the piglet on your lap or close to your chest, it may protest and squeal at first but this will stop once it knows you won't hurt it. They love having their bellies rubbed and will roll over and let you do it for hours!!

The Great Outdoors

Your pig should be kept outdoors WE WILL NOT SELL ANYONE A PIG WHO IS GOING TO BE KEPT IN A HOUSE.   A waterproof and draughtproof shelter should be available such as a shed, wooden childrens play house or pig arc is ideal. It should be full of fresh, clean barley straw so that your pig can bury under it and keep warm. Infra red heaters are not needed in winter just plenty of fresh straw.

If you are making a penned area, then a size of approx 15ft x 15ft is more than adequate but you can make it bigger if you have the space. The ideal material for the floor area is Forest Bark Wood Chippings, the rougher the better and it should be put down at least 12" deep initially and then just refreshed every season (you should be able to get these from any good tree surgeon). This allows rain water to soak through so that you don't end up with a muddy mess.

As our pigs are grazing animals they will need access to grass on a daily basis.

Your pig will need to keep cool in summer and shade should be available. You can also keep your pig cool in very hot weather by sprinkling it with water from your hose pipe, start at the bottom and work up. Or you could create a wallow with mud and water which they will love.

Feeding your piglet

We feed our pigs on non-fattening sow nuts which has the correct balance of vitamins and minerals for your piglet, you can buy these from us or your local agricultural merchant. For one pig this will last you weeks so it is best if you keep it in an airtight container to keep it fresh. Your piglet will need to be fed once a day preferably in the morning and only a small handful is required. When your pig is fully grown approximately half a dog sized dish should be given.

For treats you can give your piglet, fruit, bread or anything that is non-fattening and low in salt, but definately no meat or anything that is meat based. It is a case of trial and error as to which fruit your piglet will like, either way this is a sure way of winning over your piglet. It is important however, not to over feed your pig.

Fresh, clean water should be provided at all times but only use a heavy shallow dish as a young piglet may fall in and drown in just a few inches of water.

Vaccinations

All our piglets have been vaccinated before you take one home against worms, pig mites and mange so there is nothing for you to do for approx 12 month. Your vet will then need to top up their vaccinations with an IVOMEC injection to protect against these.

IF FOR WHATEVER REASON YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES MAY CHANGE, THEN WE WILL ALWAYS TRY TO ASSIST YOU IN RE-HOMING YOUR PET PIG