The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: mowhaugh on May 28, 2014, 09:41:43 pm

Title: We have piglets!
Post by: mowhaugh on May 28, 2014, 09:41:43 pm

Doreen, our Large Black Sow had her piglets in the early hours of this morning  :excited: :pig: :excited:.  She had 11, 3 were born dead, 2 of these were teeny tiny, the other had no visible problems, but we have 8 delightful wiggly little creatures.

I am surprised to find I am finding it REALLY stressful, I am so anxious about it all, not helped by the fact that Doreen doesn't want us any where near them and I just want to check they all have full tums, but am resisting and letting her get on with it (she did let me do the initial iodine and so on OK).  This is quite bizarre for me as I am used to feeling confident with animals and their young, but not in this case - thank goodness for HappyHippy on the phone!

I thought I had taken hundreds of photos of them, but for some reason they won't load from my camera  :'(, will try again tomorrow.

Title: Re: We have piglets!
Post by: Daisys Mum on May 28, 2014, 10:04:53 pm

 :thumbsup: :love: :pig: :pig: :pig: :pig: :pig: :pig: :pig: :pig:

Title: Re: We have piglets!
Post by: Sudanpan on May 29, 2014, 02:12:46 pm

Way to go  :thumbsup:  hours of fun  :excited: :excited:
 :pig: :pig: :pig: :pig: :pig: :pig: :pig: :pig:
 :sunshine:

Title: Re: We have piglets!
Post by: Fowgill Farm on May 29, 2014, 02:41:53 pm

Many congratulations, so long as they have full tums and she & they all seem happy don't worry.
I sometimes think farowing IS more stressful for us owners thanits is for the pigs but it just means we care :hug:
Enjoy!
Mandy :pig:

Title: Re: We have piglets!
Post by: Rosemary on May 29, 2014, 03:30:39 pm

Fabulous - congratulations to you and Doreen  :thumbsup: and a big  :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: for supporting Large Black pigs.

Title: Re: We have piglets!
Post by: pin on May 29, 2014, 08:04:05 pm

How wonderful! So sorry you lost a few, she lost two last year, stillborn. They have such a long way to go down the birth canal and if the cord stretches they don't get enough oxygen. Still 8 is great, we found 11 to be a handful.
Doreen is a fab mum and you can safely leave her to get on with it. We did find her very protective but separating her while she eats gave plenty of time for checking on babies. Especially later when she had to eat so much food we had loads of time!
Looking forward to seeing pics, beautiful little elephant piggies!

Title: Re: We have piglets!
Post by: mowhaugh on May 29, 2014, 10:44:41 pm

Quote from: Rosemary on May 29, 2014, 03:30:39 pm

and a big  :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: for supporting Large Black pigs.

That's the easy bit, they are an absolute delight!

Photos now on a separate thread.

I am feeling a bit more relaxed about it now, (just a little!) and Lynne, visitors are most welcome!

Title: Re: We have piglets!
Post by: pin on May 30, 2014, 10:29:02 am

Yay! Thanks, will make plans. X

Title: Re: We have piglets!
Post by: waterbuffalofarmer on June 07, 2014, 08:41:50 pm

When our large black had piglets she tried having a go at me, so I had to go into the building with a board.
Since then she has become very docile. The thing is we bought her whilst she was in pig. ::)

Title: Re: We have piglets!
Post by: waterbuffalofarmer on June 11, 2014, 08:32:20 am

I had a large black pig many years ago, a gilt in fact, and she gave birth to 11, one died, I don't know how, it was fine and I never found the dead piglet either,very suspicious ???, she reared the other ten piglets very well. The last sow we had gave birth to gave 8 and reared them all.   :sunshine: