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Author Topic: Waiting for Dolly  (Read 5952 times)

princesspiggy

  • Guest
Waiting for Dolly
« on: June 16, 2012, 09:31:54 am »
wer excitedly waiting for Dolly's piglets to arrive. She is my first homebred pig to farrow so its extra special.
i think shes a cracker but im obviously v biased! lol and she thinks shes still small enough to sit on my knee too. ha  ;D

its her first litter, are first litters smaller in number than subsequent litters or not?
will keep u posted !
 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D :love: :love: :love: :love: :love:

JulieS

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Devon - EX39 5RF
    • Ford Mill Farm
Re: Waiting for Dolly
« Reply #1 on: June 16, 2012, 10:23:41 am »
Good luck and best wishes to you and Dolly....It really is a very exciting time.


First litters do tend to be smaller than subsequent litters, but there are always exceptions to the rule.


Let us know how you get on
Pedigree GOS Pigs and Butchery for Smallholders.

HappyHippy

  • Guest
Re: Waiting for Dolly
« Reply #2 on: June 16, 2012, 10:34:14 am »
Ditto Julie about the litter size  ;)
 
We're still waiting here too - frustrating isn't it  ::)  Come on Dolly - hurry up  ;D   ;D   ;D
Hope it all goes well when the time comes - good luck !
And of course she can still sit on your knee  :-J  can't she ?  ;)
Karen x

Polished Arrow

  • Joined Mar 2012
  • Forest of Dean
  • www.cinderhilllfarm.com
    • www.cinderhillfarm.com
Re: Waiting for Dolly
« Reply #3 on: June 16, 2012, 02:46:24 pm »
Oh, I shall be watching for news from you  :)


Our Margot (British Saddleback) is due on Thursday and her cousin, Lady Penelope, is due a week on Friday.  For us, these are will be our first experience of piglet-birthing, as well as for our expectant ladies.  Eek!  :pig:



www.cinderhillfarm.com

We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are.
Anais Nin

princesspiggy

  • Guest
Re: Waiting for Dolly
« Reply #4 on: June 26, 2012, 04:13:33 pm »
dolly is farrowing at the moment! since 2pm.
she was completely alarmed by the piglets so they are in safe box wi a heat lamp while she finishes. her hackles were up and when the piglets squealed she looked quite agressive/petrified.
 how long can they go before needing a feed? we will be getting some ale in her feed later when she has finished but i darent put them back with her til she has calmed down, as she is up and down with each piglet.


 :wave: :wave:

Berkshire Boy

  • Joined May 2011
  • Presteigne, Powys
Re: Waiting for Dolly
« Reply #5 on: June 26, 2012, 04:18:46 pm »
I've had a couple of first timers do that, up and down with each piglet but after they had finished they snuggled down and let them feed. Hope all goes well. :thumbsup:
Everyone makes mistakes as the Dalek said climbing off the dustbin.

Beewyched

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • South Wales
    • tunkeyherd.co.uk
Re: Waiting for Dolly
« Reply #6 on: June 26, 2012, 05:22:59 pm »
Congrats Julia & Dolly  :bouquet:
I'd certainly keep them in their safe box untill she has finished, then get the Sweetheart stout down her as soon as she has shed the afterbirths.  She should settle down as soon as the "pains" have gone.
One of my 1st timers was like Dolly last year - I think she thought the pains were directly caused by the piglets that she had already given birth to ::)   She got 2 cans of the old stout & I stayed in with them for a good couple of hours after putting them back with her, she was brilliant with them & no problems with farrowing this year  :thumbsup:   
 :love: :pig: :love:
 
 
Tunkey Herd - registered Kune Kune & rare breed poultry - www.tunkeyherdkunekune.com

princesspiggy

  • Guest
Re: Waiting for Dolly
« Reply #7 on: June 26, 2012, 07:02:56 pm »
woo hoo
she had 10 in her first litter. she wasnt even that big til this week.
4 boars and 6 gilts.
she has calmed down but a bit shell shocked. she was farrowing for 4 hrs. the last 2 werent breathing and would have died if we werent there but are ok now. took a bit of "james herriot style swinging" to get them going!
the 2nd last piglet had pooped inside her and a fair bit of blood came out of the vulva but i think it was from the ruptured umbilical cord. a bit weaker than the rest i think now.
everything fine at the moment, touch wood

HappyHippy

  • Guest
Re: Waiting for Dolly
« Reply #8 on: June 26, 2012, 07:10:52 pm »
Oh congratulations  :bouquet: (and about time too  ;)   ;D )
Well done Dolly and yes, sweetheart stout (or guiness if you can't get SS) well deserved - she'll love it too, hilarious to listen to them slurp it  :D  Keeping everything crossed for the wee one  :fc:
Karen x

princesspiggy

  • Guest
Re: Waiting for Dolly
« Reply #9 on: June 26, 2012, 07:13:43 pm »
fotos

princesspiggy

  • Guest
Re: Waiting for Dolly
« Reply #10 on: June 26, 2012, 07:16:37 pm »
this wee one is enjoying his milk in peace, before the other 7 arrived, now its "scramble!!"

Beewyched

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • South Wales
    • tunkeyherd.co.uk
Re: Waiting for Dolly
« Reply #11 on: June 26, 2012, 07:18:30 pm »
this wee one is enjoying his milk in peace, before the other 7 arrived, now its "scramble!!"
Now that's just too cute  :love: :pig: :love:
Tunkey Herd - registered Kune Kune & rare breed poultry - www.tunkeyherdkunekune.com

Tamsaddle

  • Joined May 2011
  • Hampshire, near Portsmouth
Re: Waiting for Dolly
« Reply #12 on: June 26, 2012, 07:35:25 pm »
Fabulous photos.   Dolly has such a lovely smile on her face in the second photo, she looks very contented.   Well done all, and a very good litter size (our Tamworth last year also had a first litter of 10).   Tamsaddle

nelson

  • Joined Jan 2011
    • lelogisfrance
Re: Waiting for Dolly
« Reply #13 on: June 26, 2012, 07:39:40 pm »
 :bouquet: Wonderful - they are just lovely. You deserve some of that stout now pp




princesspiggy

  • Guest
Re: Waiting for Dolly
« Reply #14 on: June 26, 2012, 07:40:35 pm »
a very good litter size (our Tamworth last year also had a first litter of 10).   Tamsaddle


dorothys first litter was 6 but only 4 survived so 10 is wonderful!

 

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