The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: SallyintNorth on September 07, 2011, 09:46:30 pm
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ooookkkkayyy... so it's next week! Thursday onwards, I think. (15 weeks and 3 days, right?)
Got out my bookmarked 'farrowing kit' post from Karen
http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=16784.msg160091#msg160091 (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=16784.msg160091#msg160091)
and am pleased I have most things ready already, just a few more to get.
My question is - what do people do / not do with regard to a creep area for the little oinkers?
We're having some refurbishments done in the main shed which were meant to be long finished by now but of course are still ongoing, so I can't use the pens I had planned to use. ::)
I haven't really got another indoor pen that's very suitable; there are several but each has its drawbacks. So now I am thinking I'll let her farrow in her ark. This is now fully floored, raised off the ground and positioned near the gate so easy for me to get to her. (And I've got a good head torch and will make sure I've got plenty of batteries for it!) There's loads of space in the ark, so should I be concerned about her lying on piglets and try to rig up some sort of creep area - and if so, how??? - or will she likely be fine as it is?
What do others do?
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My sow birthed in an old solid heating oil tank. There wasn't any way that i could have made on in there so i had to leave it as it was. She gave birth to 10 live and 1 still born piglets and they're all still alive and doing well.
Probably not the best of situations but i saw it as she is out and doing it on her own and left it up to her.
Good luck
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Hi Sally,
Its not 15 weeks 3 days, its 3 months 3 weeks 3 days which can be 5 or 6 days different to yours.
I never bother with creep area and loose a piglet occasionally but that is the way I prefere to do it. She will be fine outside in her ark, as long as she has plenty of straw, she will make a nest and they will be warm and snug. I find that if I loose a piglet through squashing its in the first 24 hours, after that she seems to be more carefull and they learn to keep out of the way.
Hope all goes well and don't panic. ;)
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Sally
You could put a raised scaffold pole down one side of ark about 9 inches off the floor and away from the outer wall, make sure its strongly secured at the ends and in the middle so as to take mums weight when she lays down, the piglets can then escape under the rail behind her.
HTH & good luck
Mandy :pig:
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Hi Sally :wave:
We are in the same position. Normally our sows farrow inside the barn, but we tried to move Ruby our gilt this morning - she is due in about two days but was clearly set on staying outside. There was no way that she was going to move. She is still with Harry her man and seems relaxed and contented. So we moved another pig ark in and will then separate them off by electric fence. Hopefully she will take to the new ark then do all her nesting etc in there. It will be a first for us outside - so this pm we are going to scout round the farm to see if we can find anything that we could turn into a farrowing rail as Mandy has suggested. Good luck. :)
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HI Sally, my first sow farrowed outside in her ark I did put about a bale and a half of straw in it though, and she gave birth during the night so when I checked in the morning she had done all the hard work herself and had 7 piglets, that story ended sadly unfortunately however, my other sow is now in pig she will also farrow outside mid Dec and yes I shall put a small bit of old ladder across with a heat lamp for he piglets, I don't necessarily think it is about squashing them that does happen and you won't stop it but it is a place where the piglets can go and mum gets a rest.
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Thanks for all the ideas and experiences, folks.
Good luck, nelson and Ruby! :pig: I shall be interested to hear how you all get on!
I confess I haven't thought of any way to attach a post (in a full-grown pig-proof way ::)) to a semi-circular corrugated iron ark, but will keep thinking... :-\
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Sorry guys, in my last blogg I said that I would be putting an old ladder in my arc with a heat lamp etc... I shall refrase myself my husband will be doing that job as no other contributions happen towards the piggies. :o
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Why do you need a heat lamp? Mum and straw will keep them warm, some of mine farrowed outside in last years snow quite happily. Tough old things pigs :D
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Why do you need a heat lamp? Mum and straw will keep them warm, some of mine farrowed outside in last years snow quite happily. Tough old things pigs :D
Yes, they are ;)
BUT newborn piglets, coming out of a nice warm mummy pig to an air temperature that is considerably lower, wet with afterbirth and possibly quite weak will heat up and perk up quicker if they have access to a heat lamp. And, by setting up a creep area with a heat light the piglets will be more inclined to go there after feeding rather than snuggle up with mum, so you reduce your chance of squashed piglets post farrowing.
Sally - cut a hole in the back and front of your arc at the position you want (12 inches up off the floor and whatever depth suits), slide a scaffolding pole through and use exhaust clamps/jubilee clips inside and out to hold it in place. Make sure that there are NO GAPS or spaces round the side between arc sides and floor as piglets can quite easily trap a leg and get squished.
All these things just reduce the chances of losing piglets - I suppose it depends how relaxed you are about it and how clumsy your pigs are, I definately don't think it's as big an issue in the smaller breeds like Berkshires and Kunes, but with my Large Black sow it's definately worth my while doing it (I think ;))
HTH
Karen x
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Gilts can sometimes be a couple of days early so check her to see if she's getting milky.
We use a farrowing arc, in other words it came with the bars. I've never used a lamp - as I've never farrowed when it's been that cold, I would if I did though. I sit out in the arc with a torch & towel off the piglets - though I don't like to interfere too much, it's reassuring for both of us ( I think anyhow), to be there. When mums restless I wait outside 'till she settles.
Also we've found putting a temporary barrier ( a plank of wood usually) across the front of the arc will stop any piglets falling out accidently and getting cold.
Mum may humph 'cos it may rub against her udders as she goes in & out, though.
By the time the piglets can scramble or jump over it they are able to find their way home & not get lost - or so we find.
In our recent litter we had one piglet that jumped over it on all fours - like it had little springs in it's legs ::)
I love farrowing time enjoy :)
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Gilts can sometimes be a couple of days early so check her to see if she's getting milky.
Oh violet, I check her twice a day! (First timers, both of us!) She's changing now, she looks different every day. But so far the udder is still soft and there's no milk - but the belly has dropped and the teats at the back are beginning to swell up. I'm excited and nervous in equal measure ...
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Gilts can sometimes be a couple of days early so check her to see if she's getting milky.
Oh violet, I check her twice a day! (First timers, both of us!) She's changing now, she looks different every day. But so far the udder is still soft and there's no milk - but the belly has dropped and the teats at the back are beginning to swell up. I'm excited and nervous in equal measure ...
I guessed you would be ;D
Our croft has flooded three times this year - it's only flooded once in 40 years and now.........................The water was lapping at the edge of Apples arc I bent down and you guessed it - she was milky :o . Fortunately the water receeded as quickly as it came - but I hadn't moved her to the farrowing arc & was caught out again, but she was fine there.
It' so exciting isn't it - I'm getting excited for you................. ;D
:love: :pig: :wave:
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Hi Sally, good luck, im also excited for you, OH and Meg. Looking forward to reading all about it. We have weaners but as yet have never had a sow farrow. Something we are considering for next spring, so interested to hear all about your Meg...... Anne. :pig:
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Sally any news on Meg?
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Belly dropping, teats swelling, vulva starting to swell, so far no milk in teats... Thanks for asking!
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:thumbsup:
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Hi Sally
Ruby is the same - she is now separated from Harry and quite happy in her own space. We are still slightly apprehensive about her being outside but would still feel the same if we managed to get her into the barn. The weather forecast is good so with a fair wind .....
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Oh, nelson - Meg's still outside in her roomy warm dry ark - but the weather is still evil (thanks Katia! ::)) - very very windy, squally up to torrential rain at times - but she loves her ark and still comes out to rummage about if the rain isn't too bad, and for her nuts twice a day. If the ground remains this wet when she farrows I will put a plank across the doorway to stop the piglets getting out at all (there is a 5" lip built in already) until I think they can cope with what they'll hit when they do get out.
And I could always move the whole family to a stable if I had to - but they all have earth floors so I wasn't sure how long they'd survive Meg's rootling if I moved her indoors ahead of her time.
Good luck with Ruby!
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Good luck to you all who are midwifering at the moment I have to wait until mid Dec, will have plenty of hot towels and warm water and that will be just for me ::) best of luck and look forward to some good news and of course pictures.
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Hi Barrett :wave: :thumbsup:
Just on my way out to check on Ruby - it is a clear night - temp has dropped slightly - but plenty of straw in the ark - if she chooses to nest tonight.
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Come on Meg & Ruby all this wating is killing me............... ;D
Good luck to you both and you know where we are if you need help.
Mandy :pig:
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Hi everyone :wave:
Ruby has 9 little jewels - checked on her at 1.30 this morning and she was asleep. Got up at 6 to look and she had farrowed. There was one still born :-[.
Fingers crossed thus far. She looked calm and let me come in to have a nose around.
Sally - Any news on Meg? Good luck
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Oh congratulations nelson! And Ruby! :pig: :trophy:
I think maybe Meg isn't quite as near as I thought - I worked out the 3 months 3 weeks and 3 days thing using lunar months (ie, 28 days) but reading up some more on the internet last night I think more people count them as calendar months - which would mean she's got another 6 or 7 days to go yet. I'll keep checking twice a day anyway.
This morning she ran up for her nuts as usual (aren't pigs the funniest things when they run! :D), but later she was reticent to jump down the step to her trough - which is a first. I went in and reminded her there's a 'ramp' for wheelchair users and very pregnant pigs. (She has to get round a tree - one side is gently sloping, the other a 1' step.) OSBs are not the brightest of pigs, so I hope she remembers next time she's thirsty and on the higher ground!
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Hi Sally,
I did say at the beginning of this thread that it was 3 months 3 weeks and 3 days not 15 weeks and 3 days. I would say she is not due until thursday or friday next week. ;)
Hope it all goes well for your first time and don't panic.
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She'll probably be early though as it's her first time too ;D
Congratulations nelson - enjoy ;D
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Well done Ruby! :bouquet: Well done Nelson. Hope all going well.
Mandy :pig:
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Hi Thought I would post a picture of Ruby and her piglets. Also a picture of Harry (Dad) and Ruby just before she farrowed. :love:
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Awww :love: :love:
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Congratulations on your new family, love the pics, harry and Ruby look a very happy couple. :pig: :pig:
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They are beauties, nelson. Fingers crossed I'll be posting mine soon ... although the proud dad-to-be is a polystyrene box and a twirly bit of plastic :-[
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Congratulations Nelson & Ruby: she looks such a proud Mum!
Sally, we use farrowing rails like Karen described plus a cut-down metal sheep hurdle with a heat lamp hung behind it at the back of the ark. They don't really need a lamp to survive, but it means that when they're finished feeding they go and sleep in the creep area so are less likely to get sat on. We use a red bulb as the sows seem calmer with that.
Best of luck and keep us posted!