Author Topic: Weak piglet...when do you decide to bring in? (Read 2049 times)

Mrs Snoodles · « **on:** October 14, 2012, 08:02:51 pm »

OK....another question.
This late afternoon we found one of the piglets born yesterday, weak and cold. Warmed it up for a while, gave it some kickstart equivilant, it seemed better alot livelier so we popped piglet back with Mum. My husband has gone now to check up, give another dose of the kickstart stuff and we will do the same again before bed.

I say bed, but what would you do this evening? I don't want the piglet to get cold and weak through the night and not survive. My gut feeling is that it just needs a boost now at the start, to get over the critical first few days to survive. I really don't want to take it from Mum as I know that reintroduction will be difficult (although I know for sure that once this piglet is by the Aga in our care, it will be fine). If I went up every 3 hours do you reckon that would be OK?

....since writing, they are all still sleeping so we can't see what's what! It may well be

job.

Cheers all

Beewyched · « **Reply #1 on:** October 14, 2012, 10:22:18 pm »

Is it feeding ok Mrs S?

HappyHippy · « **Reply #2 on:** October 15, 2012, 08:31:53 am »

If it's managing to feed leave it where it is

As long as it's not being pushed out by it's siblings or mum (sometimes they just know) or looks as if it's been trod on or ill - it stands a far better chance with her at this stage, than it does with you

Taking it away means they're not getting all the antibodies and proper nourishment it needs from the sows milk and reintroducing at a later stage might come with it's own problems $:-\$
You could ask your vet if they can give you 1ml of gleptosil for it (the pack is 250ml and costs about £18, but they might have one open and just draw you off what you need

) we iron jab all of ours at 3 days old and it seems to have a much better effect that the kickstart (for us anyway)
Hope all's well this morning

Mrs Snoodles · « **Reply #3 on:** October 15, 2012, 11:01:07 am »

Good news, the little one got through the night ok although when I went down this morning and it (I dare not look for sex as I might end up naming it ) was squeaking quite a bit. Came running towards me, easily scooped up into my arms and wolfed down some more of this kickstart stuff (it is sort of a colostrum, energy boost mix) I left, it and settled down with the others, so things are looking better.

It is the runt but not That much smaller than the others, so hopefully if we can get this little piglet through the next couple of days we will be ok.

Thanks for your comment Happy Hippy, I agree, animals do just seem to know. They really do - I have seen it with chickens especially, many a time. The sow however was paying interest to this little piglet this morning so maybe this one is basically ok. All the others look really well. Feisty bunch