Author Topic: any brainwaves (Read 3091 times)

thestephens · « **on:** April 11, 2011, 05:24:57 pm »

any ideas?

? mum and piglets are now outside but would like to lock their door at night time for the first few days, how can i supply mum with water bar using an old heavy sink??? just think she is going to tip everything over!!

JulieS · « **Reply #1 on:** April 11, 2011, 05:34:53 pm »

Just wondering why you would like to lock their door?

thestephens · « **Reply #2 on:** April 11, 2011, 06:05:32 pm »

just in case a fox should come along or one of the piglets gets lost (my first litter im an overprotective mum)

HappyHippy · « **Reply #3 on:** April 11, 2011, 06:11:24 pm »

Trust me, your mummy pig will see off ANY intruders

One of our Berkshire gilts (8 months) decided to 'visit' my wee KK sow and her piglets the other day - needless to say she got a serious doing from the normally very placid Adelaide

and has stayed as far away as possible from the fenceline ever since.
Foxes don't tend to come in close where there are pigs - something to do with the smell putting them off. I think they'll be okay

thestephens · « **Reply #4 on:** April 11, 2011, 06:18:07 pm »

i thought so too, but husband spent a good hour and a half fixing on a hinged door (secretly he loves the piglets even though their mum HATES him) when he should have been sowing!!!! who is going to break the news to him?

JulieS · « **Reply #5 on:** April 11, 2011, 06:48:15 pm »

I agree with HH, they will be fine.

Let us know how your husband takes the news

HappyHippy · « **Reply #6 on:** April 11, 2011, 07:29:25 pm »

Men eh ? Biggest softies ever ! (Not that they'd EVER admit it

)

Hilarysmum · « **Reply #7 on:** April 13, 2011, 10:12:59 am »

Pour him a glass of beer, get him sitting down then tell him.....

loosey · « **Reply #8 on:** April 13, 2011, 12:15:23 pm »

Tie the door back and fix it as a wind/rain barrier ... "well done hubby, look what an amazing wind break you've made to protect our tiny piggies"

^^ I had to use this one last year when my OH made a door for the pig ark!

Hilarysmum · « **Reply #9 on:** April 14, 2011, 10:18:34 am »

Hilary never considers anyone's finer feelings removed the only attempt at a door on an ark within 5 minutes of it being fixed on.

Stevie G · « **Reply #10 on:** April 16, 2011, 12:15:41 pm »

Never, never be fooled into believing that Foxes will never take piglets as this fact is very untrue.
Some farms have had mjor problem of loosing piglets from this problem, but gladly not us for a couple of reasons.
One being we put a fox fence around our farrowing area and two we had a good Game Keeper to keep their numbers down.
Its alway better to be safe than sorry, so as far as I am concerned Hubby's efforts are not wasted.
I definitely think he deserves that beer.

Blonde · « **Reply #11 on:** April 16, 2011, 02:32:35 pm »

fox baiting is a good idea, but here in oz you have to do a course which I have done, and now have 12 months access to a baiting program. Foxes take new bornes dont worry about that. They sneak in and while mum is having them they take them. The come in in their droves...they are such horrible things. Now that there are babies around, that are not so cunning a free feed of bait might be the order of the day for them....... hooray if it is.

As for the beer no thanks. Just have to be vigilant when setting them down. Collect them in the morning or those that have not been taken.