The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: Nickie on April 13, 2010, 11:46:42 am
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After my recent post, we had 2 British Lop 9 week old weaners delivered easter weekend. They have settled in quite well & spend most of their time sleeping in their ark or sleeping in amongst the gorse, but I guess this is normal, hence the phrase 'lazy, fat pig'!
However, we have a couple of issues & I'd really appreciate some advise.
The last few days have been really hot & sunny (I'm not complaining as usually it's horizontal rain) but the pigs ears & shoulders have caught the sun. Blinking typical I knew I should have gone for Tamworths! I went to put some sun tan lotion on them, but one is still a bit too skittish to get a good covering on & the other one wanted to see what it felt like to have my leg between his jaws. Any suggestions on how to stop the biting? I have been giving them a gentle rub & scratch at feeding times since they arrived so that they get used to me, but that's the second time this one has had a nibble, last time it was my boot, so I didn't feel it so much.
They have plenty of outdoor space with the gorse providing some shade. I had thought that they would dig their own wallow, but that hasn't happened so I guess I will need to show them how. Our land is high up on the edge of the Snowdonia national park. It is mainly about 6 inches of peat on top of clay. Parts of the field are quite soft & wet (hence why I thought they would dig a wallow themselves). Shall I just pick one of these areas, dig a hole & add some water?
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A year or two ago we had problems with the boar getting a bit sunburned. Being a lazy male he was not inclined to dig his own wallow, so I got the shovel, chose a nice spot and dug, and dug and dug. During this time he raised an eyelid to see what I was doing then continued snoring. After some time, a great deal of sweat and swearing about lazy animals ( the sows always dig their own, Hilary is a master of the perfect wallow) .... I trudged to and fro many times with buckets and bidons to fill the hole from the stream.
Finally finished, I collapsed onto a bidon to wait for the boar's inspection. He lazily heaved himself up, waddled across, stuck his nose in the water, gave me the sort of look that needs a nose longer than his to look down satisfactorily - turned to his water trough, overturned it, laid himself down in the resulting puddle, and sighed loudly.
Moral of this story, use spray on sun tan lotion and let them dig their own wallows!!!!!
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Thanks H'sM.
I'm just having a bit of a mare at the moment (see post in coffee lounge), no one thing is major I know, but if you get enough together it wears you down a bit.
Still, I've put my feet up for an hour & feel a bit more cheerful now. I'll get some spray on lotion.
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Maybe you could play a hosepipe or a few buckets of water without actually digging - they might get the idea then?
Brilliant idea for spray on sun tan lotion!
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If its really hot they'll dig their own. I use Boots aftersun with insect repellent on sunburnt ears and put it on while they're feeding! ;D
With suntan lotion use factor 50 and same thing while they're eating, word of warning don't use childrens sun tan cream on your lops of they will go a horrid American tan tights colour it seems childrens sunscreen (Ambre Solaire) has a colouring agent in it!! My GOS were a lovely colour (NOT) until i realised. ::)
HTh
mandy
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Sun (dye) tan whatever next ;D
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In reply to the bit about the biting - you'll need to put your foot down and try to stop them doing it - they're just little now but by the time it comes to bye bye's they'll be big enough to really hurt ;)
A firm tap on their snout (or harder if they're REALLY going for it) every time they try and they should get the message pretty quick.
IMHO it's the same as dogs - show them who's boss when they're young and you won't have a stroppy, out of control adolescent on your hands ;)
Good luck, Karen
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Thanks Happyhippy.
I'm used to being firm but fair, I have 2 horses & a 7 month old lab puppy. I just wasn't sure how to handle pigs. I tried making a loud noise & that seemed to make him let go, so I'll try that along with a tap on the nose with a stick. I know at the moment it's not too bad as they can't fit my whole leg in their mouth, but in a couple of months it could be really nasty
I'm trying not to get too attached to them as they are destined for the freezer, hence why I went for 2 boys. They are great characters & make me laugh out loud, but I want to feel safe when I go in to feed them, so they need to learn what is acceptable.