We expected that raising piglets was going to involve plenty of learning. We didn’t expect that finding an appropriate creep feed would take so many calls, trips, and unanswered questions.
We wanted to offer our nursing piglets a feed intended for their stage of development as they begin learning to eat. That sounded like something we should be able to find at a farm store. It turned out to be considerably more complicated.
We were out and went to Tractor Supply to find out if they carried a creep feed. The ordering manager said that there was a feed that he might be able to order, but he wouldn’t know until Monday, when the order sheet was available. We gave him the name of the two that we were interested in and gave him our contact information to have him let us know if it was available.
I ended up calling Tractor Supply four days this week, trying to find out whether they could get the feed we had requested. Every time I called, I again left my name and number for someone to return my call.
As I write this, I still haven’t received an answer. Even a definite “we can’t get it” would help us figure out our next step. The lack of good customer service has been frustrating and makes writing them off a real, distinct possibility.
Several of the employees we’ve spoken with weren’t familiar with creep feed for young piglets or didn’t know where to find it. We’re learning that a store carrying pig feed doesn’t necessarily mean it carries feed intended for every stage of a pig’s life. We’ve also learned that our local Tractor Supply doesn’t even really carry pig feed, but sell a commodity feed for customers looking for pig feed. A lot of farm stores also carry supplies for mini pigs, which doesn’t help us in the least.
Then I called Rural King…and spoke with a knowledgeable associate who also homesteads and has raised Kune-Kune pigs. He understood what I was asking about and shared his own experience with feeding piglets.
After so much searching, it was a relief to speak with someone who understood the question and took the time to help. After the consistent lack of effort and customer service from the other farm store, it was refreshing to find someone who understood what we were looking for and was willing to help us.
Molly is still nursing the piglets consistently. Our goal is to introduce them to eating alongside nursing, rather than replace what she provides. We’re still sorting through the available products and their feeding directions as we work out our next step.
This experience has also shown us another side of planning for a small homestead. Knowing that you’ll need something is only part of the preparation. You also need to know where you can actually get it, whether it needs to be ordered, and how long that might take.
We can’t always drop everything and make another trip when a need comes up. Travel takes time and fuel, and purchases have to fit the budget. Calling ahead ought to help, but sometimes getting a clear answer becomes a project of its own.
Next time, locating a source for piglet feed will be on our list well before the babies arrive. We’ll know to ask about the specific product and feeding stage, rather than assume it will be available when we need it.
We’re sharing this because it’s the kind of practical detail that’s easy to overlook until you’re dealing with it yourself. There’s plenty to learn about raising animals—and sometimes the lesson starts with trying to find what they need.
What farm supply has been surprisingly difficult for you to find?
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