Winter forage options

[hannahs26]

Hi everyone,
I'm interested to know what other people feed their indoor piggies through the winter, when they've been used to a good supply of garden foraged greens each day. My garden isn't looking so good for grass now, and although I can give them some fresh herbs and bits and pieces, I'm cautious of what I give to avoid too much calcium. Last winter when we only had the two girls, I'd give a small amount of veg in the morning, and the same in the eve, as I didn't start them on outdoor greens until the spring, when I gradually introduced it to them. Now we have the four girls, and they've been used to plenty of greens each day through warmer months, and are now having a few herbs and some Piggie Parcels dry foraged leaves each morning, and veg in the evenings. I wonder whether there is something I could get for them to have in the mornings which would give them plenty of vit c, which I could keep a supply of for them.
What do you do in terms of greens during the colder months?
Thanks, Hannah

 

[Piggies&buns]

My piggies don’t live indoors but they still don’t get grass during the winter.

They are fed a normal hay based diet with a variety of veggies, a tiny amount of pellets and some piggie parcels forage each day.
Daily veg wise they get lettuce, cucumber, coriander and bell pepper. I add in other things if I have them in the fridge. They don’t get high calcium veg often at all (perhaps once a month)

 

[hannahs26]

My piggies don’t live indoors but they still don’t get grass during the winter.

They are fed a normal hay based diet with a variety of veggies, a tiny amount of pellets and some piggie parcels forage each day.
Daily veg wise they get lettuce, cucumber, coriander and bell pepper. I add in other things if I have them in the fridge. They don’t get high calcium veg often at all (perhaps once a month)

Thanks for sharing. Sounds about the same as what mine currently get.

 

[Engel]

Could you grow your own grass indoors in a small tub/tray?

Also agree with piggies&buns.

My pigs live indoors and are yet to be introduced to grass. (They're young and it's cold). Theyre doing perfectly well on unlimited hay, 1 tbsp pellets and fresh veggies (today consisted of romaine lettuce, celery, cucumber, coriander, bell pepper and carrot tops (greenery).

 

[Posyrose]

I collect forage (mostly the lushest tastiest kinds of grass) on my daily walk in a wild country park. They are so spoilt as I have become an expert in spotting the highest quality grass and don't allow anything brown through the quality checks....they only get ignored if I offer it to the pigs. Dandelion leaves and clover are favourites too but I had to stop feeding them as Max may need a low calcium diet (so I'm being cautious) and they both have quite a bit in.

So, I'm very interested to hear what healthy alternatives to give. If I can get them for free in the park that would be even better. I will dry some of the grass but that wont last long.

 

[Engel]

I collect forage (mostly the lushest tastiest kinds of grass) on my daily walk in a wild country park. They are so spoilt as I have become an expert in spotting the highest quality grass

How can you be certain that a dog/fox has peed on it out of interest? That's the only worry I have about foraging as there's so many dogs and foxes where I live.

 

[Posyrose]

How can you be certain that a dog/fox has peed on it out of interest? That's the only worry I have about foraging as there's so many dogs and foxes where I live.

I pick stuff that is not directly near the path, and wash it when I get home. I recognise that this isn't perfect but I can't be sure that a dog/fox hasn't got into my garden either.