Author Topic: Farrowing in the cold (Read 3709 times)

Azzdodd · « **on:** November 06, 2014, 12:23:22 pm »

2 of my sows are due to farrow in the next few weeks shall I do anything diffrent to the summer? I don't have electric were I keep them so can't really provide a heat lamp they have 8x8 arks with loads of straw? I have got a stable which I was thinking about putting them in before hand but they just don't seem to settle & want to go back outside.....

HappyHippy · « **Reply #1 on:** November 06, 2014, 02:11:23 pm »

Without electric there's not much you can do to draw them away from mum and reduce the risk of accidental squashing. Do the arcs have farrowing rails and fenders on the front? I'd be trying to get something in place to keep the piglets in.
Good luck!
Karen

shygirl · « **Reply #2 on:** November 06, 2014, 06:13:13 pm »

we farrowed in a stable, and yes the sows were restless and wanted out, but its easier checking them in a stable than crawling through an ark in the dark.
the first 2 days are the most dangerous for squashing/chill but after that they can make little tunnels in the straw and snuggle upto mum.

Porterlauren · « **Reply #3 on:** November 06, 2014, 08:25:29 pm »

We have farrowed sows in a railway carriage with no electricity.

Solution - A gas pheasant brooder. We turned half a sheep ring feeder upside down, fixed it to the wall and hung the brooder over the top, with the gas bottle outside. A nice, toasty, creep area for piglets, and I believe a bit of a must!

hughesy · « **Reply #4 on:** November 06, 2014, 08:38:33 pm »

We've had sows farrow in freezing temperatures and with snow on the ground. Ours are all outside in arks all year round and we haven't had anything out of the ordinary happen.

Fowgill Farm · « **Reply #5 on:** November 10, 2014, 11:45:58 am »

Hughsey just out of interest what are your piglet losses if any?

i personally prefer the stable option especially in winter for perhaps the first 10 days as thats when the babies are most at risk and then they can go back out to an ark but watch out for foxes trying to take them, make sure your fences are fox proof. see http://www.gospbc.co.uk/so-you-want-to-keep-pigs-part-6/
hth
Mandy

hughesy · « **Reply #6 on:** November 10, 2014, 05:18:27 pm »

We lose a couple usually but we do have big litters so not unexpected. Summer or winter doesn't seem to make any difference. Our best sow weaned 14 out of a litter of 19 last time and she's currently feeding 13 out of 16 born. Any losses we do have are immediately after farrowing usually if they make it through the first day or so they'll be ok. I would love to have the luxury of buildings we could take them into in the winter but we don't so we can't. We have plenty of foxes round here too but they've never bothered piglets just the chickens.

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #7 on:** November 10, 2014, 05:32:57 pm »

Have a thick layer of straw but tread it down to make a carpet that'll insulate the piglets from the cold floor but not bury them. Most likely time for getting squished is during the birth process, when Mama's distracted and not being too careful about where she lies. If you have room/warning/an amenable sow this is the time to make sure all the piglets have suckled. Once they've recovered from the birth and have full tums everything should settle down.

waterbuffalofarmer · « **Reply #8 on:** November 10, 2014, 06:13:22 pm »

We always farrowed inside. One of the first litters we built a wooden bar across one side of a wall and hung a heat lamp over, with plenty of straw in the building, the piglets went into that spot and came out when hungry, so the sow couldn't lie on them. Needless to say none died, out of the ten she gave birth to. The last farrowing was with an experienced sow and we left her to it, she gave seven and none died, she was the best mother pig ever.

benkt · « **Reply #9 on:** November 11, 2014, 12:30:54 pm »

Our arks have corrugated roofs so I cover them up with a couple of old carpets for winter farrowing to help keep the warmth in - seem to help a bit.

BenBhoy · « **Reply #10 on:** November 13, 2014, 10:27:23 pm »

Absolutely no problem farrow outdoors. Definitely get fender on ark. Yes of course you need straw but not so much on first day that it fills the ark. Most overlays occur where sow banks straw up around edge. Check in ark when she's eating and flatten the beds, this is the most crucial thing to try cut down on overlays. Even in winter, if beds no flat you'll lose more piglets to overlay than you will to chilling.