[SuzyJ]

Hi our piglets were born 23rd Jan and have grown well, eat everything in sight and torment mum at every chance they get now. Really friendly, happy and boisterous bunch they are.

Question is - when is the best time to wean them away from mum and separate them? She is losing weight now as they are still feeding but isn't overly thin, I just sometimes think she's sick of them!

Any advice would be more than welcomed, we have sold a few but they are staying on for piggy livery but I can move the piglets into a large barn to give mum  some time and space.

[ukag0972]

Wean them now!

I usually wait till the 8 week mark but I've weaned earlier before if she's getting fed up with them.

[Gary]

I weaned mine on the 3rd of march they were 6 weeks old mum had had enough of them and they were getting big!!!!

[dixie]

I aim for 8 weeks but if mum has had enough and they are eating well then I do it earlier! do it all in one go, not gradually! take the sow out of earshot or as far as possible, she'll have forgotten them in no time! mine really enjoys her 'me time'  of fuss and belly rubs!

[Hilarysmum]

When I can I leave them for 10 weeks, it does depend on the sow.  Our Hilary has been known to kick them out at 6 weeks old.

[SuzyJ]

Thanks for the good advice, will get them into the barn over the weekend and away from mum, there's more space in there for them to play anyway - a bit of re-arranging and hopefully all will go well.

 

[SuzyJ]

Just an update on our weaning.

Took piglets into the large barn yesterday before tea time, then fed as usual. Their mum noticed they were missing about half way through her tea and was calling for them........they were too busy eating and didn't take a blind bit of notice to be honest though.

A couple of hours later and Charlotte had broken out of her pig house in search of the babies, who were enjoying a nap! She can sense where they are and paced the yard at various intervals through the night calling for them.

Today she's calmer and less worried, has eaten her tea and happily gone back into her house for the night. The 6 piglets don't seem to be missing her at all and have been quiet but quite normal. So hopefully all is well and everything will settle down.

[Hilarysmum]

Glad its all going ok.  With the exception of Hilary's very first litter which she did miss for a day, have never had a sow show any concern when the babies go.  Your girl must be a particularly good mum. 

[gavo]

Suzy we have a sow aswell with very strong maternal instincts on one occasion we weaned took her babies to the other end of the farm into a shed for sorting a few hours later we were out in the fields and saw a pig in the fields behind our land .Our sow had lifted not one but two gates completely off their hinges and worked her way back to where her babies were;it took us quite awhile to get her back to our own land she spent the rest of the day pacing the fence line .She still doesn't like weaning but has got a little more resigned to it [she no longer escapes at least].

[Annie22]

I just weaned our sows litter off her,  the other day she kept running away from them when they wanted to suckle.  Weaning went fine.  Hope all goes well

[Hilarysmum]

Hilary literally throws hers out of the field when she has had enough.  Truly flying pigs.

[SuzyJ]

Suzy we have a sow aswell with very strong maternal instincts on one occasion we weaned took her babies to the other end of the farm into a shed for sorting a few hours later we were out in the fields and saw a pig in the fields behind our land .Our sow had lifted not one but two gates completely off their hinges and worked her way back to where her babies were;it took us quite awhile to get her back to our own land she spent the rest of the day pacing the fence line .She still doesn't like weaning but has got a little more resigned to it [she no longer escapes at least].

Our sow eventually calmed down after 3 days but still kept letting herself out and pacing the yard looking for her babies and annoying the donkey! The door has been reinforced now although she's stopped taking it off the hinges - just glad she couldn't get out of the yard to be honest. She then spent 2 days shouting for the boar and following my hubby around lovingly..........at the moment she's back to normal and seems to be enjoying the warmer weather.

How soon after weaning is it advisable to put her back to the boar? Our neighbour says now is the time as she's healthy and looking well.

[Fowgill Farm]

Sounds like she's already had a season so she'll be back hollering for the boar in 20days or so.
All you need to decide is if you want another litter in four months time, if not put off putting her to the boar until you're ready. If she goes to the boar in May you'll have piglets end of August, will you have a market for their offspring at that time of year bearing in mind they'll be to wean end Oct? All worth thinking about before you rush in and get her preggers again. In the meantime  keep her exercised and not too heavy handed with the feed.
HTH
mandy