farrowing bars are a waste of time the piglets naturally want to be close to there Mum not just for food but warmth and safety against predator's.
I'm sorry - but I have to disagree with this
Having a 'creep' area is definately not a waste of time. Yes, the piglets may still prefer to lie with mum, but in the first few days there's a major risk of squashing and by having a creep with a heatlight they'll usually choose to lie there when not feeding. It takes an hour tops to set up, and if it saves even one piglet from dying then to me, it's definately not a waste of time.
My Kune Kune's 'creep' area consists of one length of heavy timber set diagonally across the corner of the farrowing pen, about 10-12 inches from the floor (they're usually out of there by a fortnight old, so no stooping
) the heatlight is approx 2ft from the floor and well out of mum's reach. I'd always go for a bit of sawdust/wood shavings on the floor with only a handful of straw - providing they've got the heatlight they'll be warm enough as they'll huddle together - the deeper the straw the higher the chances of them getting stuck, then squashed by mum. Have a can of stout on stand-by, some gilts can get a bit stressed when they farrow for the first time (like all new mums) and the stout will chill her out and give her time to get her head round the idea of piglets
Watch and make sure both afterbirths are passed and don't suddenly up her feeding once she farrows or you'll just put her off. Kunes are great mothers and very good at letting you up close and personal with the piglets - enjoy them ! Oh and in case no-one's said - once you can express milk from her teats labour is normally underway in the next 24 hours (the udder will start to bag up up to 4 weeks before birth)
Good luck and keep us posted !
Karen