[Tamsaddle]

Most of the time this will not need to be done, but if you do have a poorly piglet that needs any sort of treatment, trying to separate it from its mum can be an absolute nightmare, especially if like us you have nowhere else secure to lock the sow away while doing it.   In the very early days sows are hyper-protective and can get absolutely panic stricken if any human causes any of the piglets to squeal - one of the reasons we have never tried castration.    But yesterday and today, this method worked really well, and might be helpful to anyone else in the same boat. 
 
Prepare a square/rectangular, deepish, flat sided, plastic box, a bit bigger than the piglet, with lots of straw.  Tempt the sow out of the ark with some extra nuts.   While she is pre-occupied eating, place the box on its side near the piglets, take some more straw and gently push the piglet you want sideways into the box with the straw, but without making any contact with your hand or picking it up, which will cause instant squealing and the mum to charge back in, barking her head off, to see what on earth you are doing.  Put a bit more straw on top of the piglet, then gently turn the box upright, and shoot out of the ark and plot with the box as fast as you can.   I have managed this four times now, in complete silence, and the sow has been completely unaware I have temporarily taken one of her piglets into the house, and closed the door behind me so she can't hear a thing, to do whatever treatment or jab needs doing.   Getting the piglet back in again is a doddle too, just tip the box on its side somewhere where the sow can't see you and gently tip the piglet out.   Hey presto!   It has certainly made this particular aspect of life much less stressful!   Tamsaddle       

[Beewyched]

   Tams - sounds like a brilliant tip for those with "big pigs" .  Pity I didn't know about it when my OH had OSBs - I got cornered on top of a concrete stall divider for over 20 mins by an over-protective mum - scary experience 
Yet another reason to sticking with my KKs methinks 
 

[HappyHippy]

Good tip 

We're lucky because now we've got the shed kinda 'sorted' we can feed the mum's and lock them in the area where they eat while we clean out/grab piglets. We pile them all into Asda crates and bring them either into the house or to the other end of the shed for castration (as far away from mum as possible  )
We've noticed that the Large Blacks are really okay with it, as long as you don't move too fast - but Poppy my OSB is an ubber-protective mum (just like Lynne's), so Bruce goes in to collect the piglets in her pen 

[Fowgill Farm]

Brilliant idea Tam, thanks for sharing, defo one to remember.
Mandy 

[Polished Arrow]

Good thinking 


I just scoop up any bambino needing attention by the back leg and leg it myself out of the pen.  Hastily


Needless to say I work up a pretty good sweat before, during and after the exercise.


It is significantly less stressful, however, if I feed Mum first and then do the dirty trick.  She does look, but doesn't actually leave the trough 

[mark/sang]

Hello sounds like a good idea but when my wife and myself started pig farming 3 yrs ago we found if you spend time in the pen with the sow as a youngster she will be very calm when you handle her piglets. We have had approx 20 litters in this time and only had 1 sow with was nasty..

[Tamsaddle]

Well you have been very lucky Mark/Sang.   All our sows/gilts have been as sweet, gentle and friendly as could be before they gave birth, then all turned into quite different, anxious characters once their babies arrived.   Definitely worst during the first week, after that ours get increasingly relaxed.   And all of them have gone back to their benign and docile ways after the first 3 to 4 weeks when they've realised you aren't going to do their babes any harm.   Tamsaddle

[robert waddell]

with pigs expect the unexpected and be greatfull when it does not happen

[Berkshire Boy]

Agree with mark/sang, I've never had a problem with any of my sows when they have litters. I can go in from when they are born and take them out and just get a grunt and I say only me and all is well.
I must admit I don't get complacent and always know that one day I may get a bad tempered sow after my blood but so far so good.