The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: Lostlambs on February 24, 2012, 03:57:32 pm

Title: How soon will she farrow?
Post by: Lostlambs on February 24, 2012, 03:57:32 pm
Have a 3 year old Hampshire that is bagging up I just noticed today. Will be her 3rd litter. Last summer she hid in the woods so I didn't get too close before she farrowed. We have a storm warning for tomorrow so thought I should get her penned in the barn and set up today.Anybody know how long they usually go ahfter bagging up? Thanks
Title: Re: How soon will she farrow?
Post by: Rich/Jan on February 24, 2012, 03:59:15 pm
our gilts bagged up a week before farrowing - but they are all different and contrary when it comes to the usual rules!!
Title: Re: How soon will she farrow?
Post by: robert waddell on February 24, 2012, 04:09:47 pm
when was she served
Title: Re: How soon will she farrow?
Post by: princesspiggy on February 24, 2012, 05:47:55 pm
this sounds like our sow cos she also ran off to the woods last year. lol
she started filling up 2 weeks before she gave birth. she was 3 days past her due date.
Title: Re: How soon will she farrow?
Post by: nelson on February 24, 2012, 07:10:35 pm
 :wave: Our berkshires always seem to go over by 2/4 days. We had one farrow this morning. She bagged up 3 days ago but for us a good sign is when  the milk is in. This morning the milk was there and she was bursting although not dragging on the floor - nesting started at about 10 am and within two hours she popped out 12 piglets. This was her second litter. Good luck
Title: Re: How soon will she farrow?
Post by: princesspiggy on February 24, 2012, 08:39:06 pm
gorgeous chubby wee thing  :D :D :D :D :wave:
Title: Re: How soon will she farrow?
Post by: Rich/Jan on February 25, 2012, 11:28:52 am
congrats nelson - speak soon
Title: Re: How soon will she farrow?
Post by: Fowgill Farm on February 25, 2012, 03:20:35 pm
LL bring her in anyway if theres a storm brewing to be on the safe side, the undercarriage can drop (look thro her back legs) anything upto 10 days before, if you can get near her check the teats if they're hardening up she's not far away, if they're soft and supple she's some days off, nearer the time you'll get a touch of liquid from the teats but for the real test is the start of nest building, give her some bedding and if she takes it in her mouth instead of pawing it around she's not far away.
Hope the storms not too bad.
best of luck Mandy  :pig:
Title: Re: How soon will she farrow?
Post by: Lostlambs on February 27, 2012, 11:20:16 am
 :wave:Bertha came thru with 12 piglets yesterday morning. I tried to have her in a nice gated pen in the barn but she would have none of it. Continually broke out of every change I made to keep her in. So that night I put her back in and fed her, after she was done eating she went straight back to destroying the gate so let her out. She promptly went to the center of the barn to an open stall she had picked out and started nesting with straw in her mouth. In the morning I went out a little leary to the barn because she's been known to go after her previous owner after farrowing. It was quite a scene as she was in her picked out stall, surrounded by 2 cows laying down and numerous sheep and lambs-the barn is shared by all when its cold with her piglets nestled up to her. She let me later in the day move her into a gated stall and then carried her piglets in and went in with her to spray the navels. A happy girl so far :) :) Sorry the pics are not great but the camera didn't want to work in the cold
Title: Re: How soon will she farrow?
Post by: Fowgill Farm on February 27, 2012, 11:29:47 am
Ah lovely alls well that ends well, nature has its way and if they're all happy together so be it. :thumbsup:
Congratulations, make sure she has plenty to drink to keep that milk going and up her food gradually to compensate for feeeding all thsoe little monsters.
All the best
Mandy  :pig:
Title: Re: How soon will she farrow?
Post by: HappyHippy on February 27, 2012, 11:41:58 am
Beautiful piglets - congratulations LostLambs  :thumbsup:
Is this your Hampshire though ? The mammy looks more like a Tamworth colouring  :-\
But it could be that I've got confused somewhere along the thread  ;)
Karen  :wave:
Title: Re: How soon will she farrow?
Post by: robert waddell on February 27, 2012, 11:50:29 am
i was going to say the same Karen     one piglet looks like an osb :farmer:
Title: Re: How soon will she farrow?
Post by: Lostlambs on February 28, 2012, 12:15:19 pm
Now thats the question I've been asking myself. She was sold to me from the neighbor as a Hamp and the boar sold to me as a Berk but neither one looked like what I thoght the breeds look like. I've gotten 2 litters from her, each time a full black or more, pinks a red spotted, and now this spotted. Theres not many who know their pigs here so I'm beginning to think they are pretty far off on their calling breeds. We have a lot of yorkshire around and not many purebred breeders, most everybody quit having the backyard pigs when the pig barns took over. 3 years ago, Saskatchewan's biggest pork company went under and lots of producers lost everything over it so not too many stayed in pig production. The company is back after bailouts but producers only got I think 10 cents on the dollar so pretty well went under-hence no producers around anymore. Bertha has the curved back but not the hamp stripe and the boar was not black so I think they are crosses and it's showing in the piglets. I like the colors and spots so I'll probably keep those for myself. Hopefully I'll manage to get them thru till spring alright :wave:
Title: Re: How soon will she farrow?
Post by: Fowgill Farm on February 28, 2012, 12:20:06 pm
Good morning LL, sounds like Heinz 57 varieties  ;D but what the heck so long as they're happy and healthy they'll make great pork whatever they are. All the best
Mandy  :pig:
Title: Re: How soon will she farrow?
Post by: HappyHippy on February 28, 2012, 05:44:42 pm
Yeah, sounds like maybe someone's gotten confused LL - I think there are some Hampshires in the USA with that colouring  ;) But as Mandy says the main thing is you've got healthy piglets and a good mammy. Feel free to put on more pictures anytime you like  ;) ;D :thumbsup:
Title: Re: How soon will she farrow?
Post by: robert waddell on February 28, 2012, 05:53:52 pm
they get confused in Scotland as well just love the authoritarian  voice telling everybody in earshot that is a saddelback     eh no it is a pedigree Hampshire  just love it :D :farmer:
Title: Re: How soon will she farrow?
Post by: HappyHippy on February 28, 2012, 07:02:58 pm
they get confused in Scotland as well just love the authoritarian  voice telling everybody in earshot that is a saddelback     eh no it is a pedigree Hampshire  just love it :D :farmer:
???
Was that when Hamish was at the market ?  :D
Title: Re: How soon will she farrow?
Post by: robert waddell on February 28, 2012, 07:08:10 pm
yes and at the shows as well :farmer:
Title: Re: How soon will she farrow?
Post by: HappyHippy on February 28, 2012, 07:10:22 pm
You can kinda see where they're coming from though, can't you ?
Both black & white pigs, and the saddleback is a well known breed. It's easy to see how folk would get confused - if they weren't overly familiar with either breed  ;)
Title: Re: How soon will she farrow?
Post by: robert waddell on February 28, 2012, 07:22:57 pm
some people still refer to the saddelback as a Wessex or Essex   there is a big difference with both breeds  Sb and Hampshire        :farmer:
Title: Re: How soon will she farrow?
Post by: princesspiggy on February 28, 2012, 07:25:07 pm
well done, glad they arrived safe and sound xx