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Bodger



Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

PostPosted: Fri Jan 02, 15 10:25 am    Post subject: News Reply with quote
    

Yes there's some news. Some good news but tempered with some bad news. When I went out to feed this morning, I saw that Dot had beaten Gladys to having her piglets. I was met with the sight of Dot lying in the doorway, with her head outside in the open air and her backend under cover. There were five piglets suckling on her but unfortunately, when she got up onto her feet, I could see that there were three dead ones that she'd been lying on.
We genuinely expected Gladys to produce first and it was surprise to find that Dot had produced first. She didn't show any signs of farrowing last night and why she decided to vacate her cosy quarters to give birth in the open, is beyond me. Anyway here are the survivors.









Dot is a big, big hefty pig whose eyesight is even worse than my own, so I'm feeling a bit pessimistic as to whether or not we'll raise all five. I fear that she may crush some more of them before things are done. They've found the heat but they still need to come out and run the gauntlet to feed at the milk bar.








As I've already said, I found her half in and half out of the doorway, there was hardly room enough for her, never mind the piglets.





sean
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42207
Location: North Devon
PostPosted: Fri Jan 02, 15 11:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Fingers crossed for the survivors.

mochyn



Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales
PostPosted: Fri Jan 02, 15 11:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

That's sad: even though you had a creep bar. Ah well: just a matter of vigilance now, I suppose. best of luck with the rest.

Marionb



Joined: 27 Aug 2006
Posts: 5267
Location: Mid-Wales
PostPosted: Fri Jan 02, 15 1:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

It always amazes me how small piglets are at birth... Fingers crossed the remaining ones make it!

Shan



Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 9075
Location: South Wales
PostPosted: Fri Jan 02, 15 6:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

We run a farrowing rail around the walls in addition to a creep area. Not had a squashed piglet yet.

Bodger



Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

PostPosted: Fri Jan 02, 15 7:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

In this instance, a rail would have been to no avail. The sow decided to give birth in the doorway to the yard.

Shan



Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 9075
Location: South Wales
PostPosted: Sat Jan 03, 15 8:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Ahhh.... stubborn moo, is she?

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Sat Jan 03, 15 10:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

One place I worked on with pigs had no creep area, just the rail all round the pens which was an old stable block. One farrowing pen per carthorse place, about 14 ft sq! I introduced the creep feed system by using scaffolding! not good but it worked. When I asked about creep feeding initially,they thought the piglets got enough from the sows food, which was fed dry and scattered across the floor. They had never heard of proper creep feed! They didn't like spending money either as they were short of added proteinand minerals by 25%-I didn't stay long!

MornieG



Joined: 17 Jan 2013
Posts: 933
Location: Bromham, Wiltshire
PostPosted: Sat Jan 03, 15 10:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Looks like one happy sow. piglets are so cute too. Hope she manages to raise them all XX

Bodger



Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

PostPosted: Sat Jan 03, 15 11:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Gladys, the other sow is pacing around and building a nest with her straw, so it looks as though it may very well be Ding! Ding! ready for round two sometime today. After our experience with Dot, I'm certainly not counting my chickens before they hatch but Gladys has always looked way more pregnant than Dotty.

Bodger



Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

PostPosted: Sat Jan 03, 15 1:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I'm beginning to think that all females are naturally indecisive. :whistle: Gladys has quite literally spent all day carrying straw around, making and then unmaking her nest.














"Do you think my bum looks big in this? I'm not sure"









There's certainly loads of room for little piglets.









"I promise not to mither you again but are you sure that these cushions are straight?"





Spruengli



Joined: 12 Jul 2006
Posts: 537
Location: Dorking(ish)
PostPosted: Sat Jan 03, 15 2:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Fingers crossed she gets the soft furnishings sorted before the big event

And congratulations on the first batch - they are gorgeous!

Rob R



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York
PostPosted: Sat Jan 03, 15 7:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I have serious sty envy.

Bodger



Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

PostPosted: Sat Jan 03, 15 11:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Midwife duties being taken seriously.









Fourteen piglets born, one stillborn and a runt that isn't looking good.





Bodger



Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

PostPosted: Sat Jan 03, 15 11:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Midwife duties being taken seriously.









Fourteen piglets born, one stillborn and a runt that isn't looking good.





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