# Feeding Our Wild Piggies in Winter



## kielanders (Sep 9, 2019)

We're looking for a more affordable way to feed our wild piggy flock that visits us during winter. We're in a northern snowy rainy cold coastal climate, and usually sprinkle seed in the front yard. A lot of the cheap bird seed they won't eat in winter, which I'm assuming is because it's low nutrition.

They always go for the corn & sunflowers first in the mixed seed we sprinkle, so we were thinking of going with corn or cracked corn as the primary feed, knowing that the corn will hold-up in the rain until they can get to it, and sunflower seeds being very expensive.

From what I've read on here, this will get our pigs more nutrition for the whole flock, and be less than a 1/3 the cost of off the shelf seed for us.

Any thoughts?

Will the juveniles be able to eat & digest whole or cracked corn?

Thanks!


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## Ladygrey (Dec 10, 2016)

I thought you were feeding pigs at first..lol.. 

Pigeons if hungry enough will eat what is handed out, if they are picky then they are not in danger of starving. 

I would go with a mix geared to attracting doves and add whole corn, the corn kernel Inside whole corn is protected better from moisture and wet. 

Unsalted raw peanuts can be added as well , small whole ones .


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## kielanders (Sep 9, 2019)

Ladygrey said:


> I thought you were feeding pigs at first..lol..
> 
> Pigeons if hungry enough will eat what is handed out, if they are picky then they are not in danger of starving.
> 
> ...


Thanks!

Just brought home the whole kernel corn last evening, and they absolutely hammered EVERYTHING we put out in a few minutes.

I don't know why our flock just became over twice its normal size this year (~40 or 50 now) with the onset of Autumn. In previous years it's only been around 20.

I also don't know why they are so hungry this year. In past years, even in the dead of winter, they were not so voracious and eating everything. 

From where they perch near the house, there is always a small little group that lays-back and waits for the first group to feed, them only coming-in when the first group is done. I'm assuming the second group is juveniles.


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## Ladygrey (Dec 10, 2016)

kielanders said:


> Thanks!
> 
> Just brought home the whole kernel corn last evening, and they absolutely hammered EVERYTHING we put out in a few minutes.
> 
> ...


Yes, when giving handouts it does boost the population, in turn with more numbers , that can create other problems..


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