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Faith and Hope the Kune Kune Pigs

[Kune Kune Pigs]

Faith and Hope are female Kune Kune Pigs. They were born in June 2006, and we bought them from a lady in East Sussex in August 2006. They are highly intelligent and come when they are called. They love vegetables and fruit.

Kune Kune pigs are a small, grass-eating breed originating from New Zealand. Kune Kune pigs can be trained - ours usually come to us when called, or the feed bucket is shaken. They are known for being calm. They love having their backs scratched and Hope will roll over, grunting with delight.

They eat pig pellets as well as any fruit / vegetable scraps and bread. We do not feed them eggs, meat or anything that has been near meat. They have a wood / straw shelter which they are free to wander in and out of. They also have free access to a grassy run and a wooded area. They have their very own wallow - a pond liner sheet filled with water.

[Kune Kune Pigs at 9 months]

For three months during summer 2007 we had a boar visiting named Ambrose. We thought Faith had been serviced but in the end she did not produce. Hope didn't seem as interested in the handsome chap but blossomed in September and eventually produced eight gorgeous piglets. The gestation period is 3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days. They usually have between 3 & 12 piglets. Ambrose (we believe it was he) returned for another attempt in winter/early spring 2008, resulting in Hope producing another seven piglets in June.

Unfortunately, despite valiant efforts from Ambrose, Faith I never conceived and was made into sausages. We had kept two of Hope's piglets from her first litter and they have been named Faith II and Charity.

[Faith, Borat, Hope and Charity]

In Autumn 2008, Borat the Boar came to spend some time with them and this time, Faith II and Charity produced five piglets each in January. The smallest in Faith's litter died, three were sold to a private owner, two went to Heathrow Special Needs Farm and the other four have been enjoying visits with us.

Borat the Boar visited again in Spring and Autumn 2009. Faith II gave birth to seven piglets in August 2009 and then another 5 in April 2010. Unfortunately one died at about 2 weeks old. Charity gave birth to six piglets in August 2009 and then ten in April 2010. Hope has been hopeless recently!