[happy larry]

Hi all,the 2 saddleback gilts i have are filling out and im sure they are in pig,i cant be specific on the due dates as i only got them on the 1st of april and im waiting on the old owner to give me the date that the boar had been running with them.Right, back to the thread title is it important to have a crate,how many pig breeders havent used a crate and not paid the price.I have asked a couple of old hand pig breeders and got 2 different replies.If they do have a litter i have got a large stable with 2 seperate pens that measure about 12x12 feet,the intention was to seperate each gilt at farrowing time,any ideas or sugestions from the more experienced keepers,thanks in advance.Paul

[little blue]

no to the farrowing crate!   they are really quite small, so not natural for the pig.

but a creep area to protect the piglets & give them a fair crack at food would help.  this is like a rail, around the pen that the little ones can fit under, but "Mum" can't.
  And yes, the girls would be better separated at farrrowing time (but sometimes they will do everything they can to be together!!)

good luck with your new pigs

[TESS1963]

I have six breeding girls and like you, I use my stables as farrowing houses. I breed Gloucester Old Spots and all my girls farrow perfectly happily, without being restricted in a horrible farrowing crate. Leave them to do what they do best. Provide them with a creep area for the piglets to go into, with a lamp if the weather is cold and they will be fine. I provide a nice bed of straw, which they make a nest out of to farrow in. Once they have farrowed, they are incredibly considerate and careful not to lie on their piglets. If you watch your girls, they will sniff and move the straw around to see if any of the piglets are there and then carefully go down on their front legs and then lie down. The only time, I have had a couple of piglets lied on is with new mothers getting up during farrowing.

If you provide them with a large enough area to move around in and you have handled your girls enough, so they know you, you should be fine. I would more rather observe my girls nurturing their piglets in the natural way, then to have to go and see one of my girls caged in a contraption, that she cannot turn around in and is restricted like that for weeks on end.

Happy Farrowing the natural way.

Teresa
Pennymoor Herd of Gloucester Old Spots

[Beewyched]

Afree with what has already been posted - PLEASE don't use a farrowing crate - they are cruel & unecessary.

[Helencus]

No no no to the farrowing crate. Mine farrowed in the barn very happily I had rails and a creep area with a lamp and my gilts were fine. It so much nicer to let them do things naturally.

[HappyHippy]

I agree with everyone else - no to the crate.
You'll find their udders will start to develop in the last 4 weeks and 'drop', once you see milky discharge from the teats they should farrow within 24 hours. You'll notice I say 'should'  Pigs have a terrible habbit of not reading the books or TAS postings and just do what suits them 
HTH
Karen x

[Sylvia]

I have no electricity on my land so, should a sow farrow in cold weather is a lamp essential?

[Hilarysmum]

In reply to the question DO I REALLY NEED A FARROWING CRATE   

NO  THEY ARE BARBARIC AND UNNECESSARY  imho

[Hilarysmum]

Re a heat lamp in winter.  As long as the arc is warm and has plenty of straw in the creep area probably not.  You could use hot water bottles if you are visiting fairly regularly.  Keep them well out of mum's reach though. 

[happy larry]

Thanks for all the replies,i had to make my post as short and to the point as possible because my computer kept crashing.I have to agree with all that said the crate is cruel,thats why i asked "DO i REALY need a crate" this will be a first time at breeding pigs and i just wanted the best solution for the girls.I will not be using a crate instead i will build a kind of creep area for the piglets,once again thanks for all of the advice and wisdom.Paul

[Hilarysmum]

Sorry  I have a particular loathing of farrowing crates having seen a film of a dutch porcherie.  Makes me forget to be calm when typing.   

If you socialise with your pig, get her really used to you handling her and being with her in the arc it will make it easier when she pigs. 

[princesspiggy]

i got the farmers weekly this week. was a foto of the the pig farmer of the year 2008, sows were stuck in a crate. she cudnt even turn around. is that what we have to aim for? 

[nails]

I have no electricity on my land so, should a sow farrow in cold weather is a lamp essential?

We brought a gas lamp for our piglets, as we don't have electric on our land either. Never used it though as the weather warmed up and mum does do a good job of keeping her babies warm, but we now have it just in case we need it.
 
 
 

[Fowgill Farm]

Hi Happy Larry
Agree with all above.
Try reading getting started articles on GOS website
www.oldspots.org.uk
the farrrowing article will give you some pointers what to expcect.
Good luck, hope all goes well.
best
Mandy

[TESS1963]

If you are farrowing outside in an ark in cold weather and have no access to electricity for a heatlamp, a really good way of insulating the ark and making it really warm inside, is to throw an old duvet over the top of the ark and then a plastic taupaulin sheet. In the really cold weather, I did this to the arks that were being used and climbed inside with the pigs after a while and talk about snug and warm. Just a cheap and easy option.

Teresa
Pennymoor Herd of Gloucester Old Spots