The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: Azzdodd on May 22, 2014, 09:06:15 pm

Title: Does my pregnant gilt look about right?
Post by: Azzdodd on May 22, 2014, 09:06:15 pm
Well according to my dates my gilt is 12 weeks pregnant today....first time I've bred pigs normally just had weaners just want some feedback she's in about 1/2 acre she's grazes most off the day and has a little root has her sow nuts then goes to bed (like a pregnant women) do my dates seem right about 4 weeks left?
Title: Re: Does my pregnant gilt look about right?
Post by: Berkshire Boy on May 22, 2014, 10:07:01 pm
Yes she looks good. She will gradually start to bag up and when you can get a bit of milk out of her she will be a few days off. Good luck
Title: Re: Does my pregnant gilt look about right?
Post by: shygirl on May 22, 2014, 11:16:41 pm
thats a lovely mummy tummy  :thumbsup:  you can just see her underline coming but shes still a few weeks away judging by her teats, and lack of udder. id say your dates were ok.
Title: Re: Does my pregnant gilt look about right?
Post by: Azzdodd on May 22, 2014, 11:52:44 pm
Thanks everyone I'm glad I'm right.....doesn't look like an big litter? I'll be happy with whatever I get first litter
Title: Re: Does my pregnant gilt look about right?
Post by: danconfessed on May 23, 2014, 02:09:32 pm
Dont be fooled!  I wasn't expecting a big one from my last litter.  She didn't look that big so i guessed about 4-6.  She popped out 12!!  After number 7 we had no idea when she was going to stop, they just kept coming :)
Title: Re: Does my pregnant gilt look about right?
Post by: Marches Farmer on May 23, 2014, 05:21:09 pm
Traditionally they're wormed just before farrowing and feed reined back for a couple of days to prevent constipation.  Is she already in her farrowing quarters?  We put them in a month beforehand and put the infra red lamp on at night from 16 weeks + 3 days, so they're familiar with it when farrowing begins and we can easily see what's happening from outside when we check before bedtime (ours, not hers).
Title: Re: Does my pregnant gilt look about right?
Post by: hughesy on May 23, 2014, 05:36:15 pm
Yes don't think first litters are necessarily small. We've had two first timers farrow in the last fortnight with 14 and 16. Add that to the 19 our older sow had a little while back and that's 49 piglets born over three litters.
Title: Re: Does my pregnant gilt look about right?
Post by: Azzdodd on May 23, 2014, 06:47:13 pm
She is going to farrow outside in her ark so yeah in her farrowing quarters lol the boar was her from 24th off feb till 28th March but I'm pretty sure he served her about 2 weeks after he came