[Kitchen Cottage]

 

Okay.  Charlotte, my sow, didn't get in pig this year (due to a sterile boar) and is now destined for sausage meat at the end of the summer.  She's six but, given the last years "summer",  I want her to have some sunbathing and relaxation before she goes....

Anyway,  I have therefore been looking for piglets.  I spoke to a local man with GOS's (from Freeads) and originally he had some but he said he weaned at  4 WEEKS OLD!!  I wasn't interested but he rang me a few weeks later and said he had some more and he swore, on the phone and in text, they were 8 weeks old.  My friend at the city farm "warned" me about them but all he said was that he sold piggies REALLY young and had heard they had failed to thrive

When I went to see them, you couldn't see the parent, you could hear he had a lot of pigs but he had separated 6 into a horsebox.

Well, they were obviously 2 litters, three were teeny teeny tiny and 3 were tiny.  He swore again they were 8 weeks.  Now I've had 5 litters off Charlotte and should know what they look like at 8 weeks..... which is HUGE!

Anyway... I bought the 3 biggest..... , basically because I didn't have the balls to call him a liar "I wouldn't say they were 8 weeks when they're not" when I got them home, out in the field, they look even smaller.  I'd say closer to 5 weeks

Anyway, in the afternoon I picked up 3 middle white/GOS cross finishers (about 12 weeks)  from a LOVELY lady who put them up on here.  You could see all her pigs and rosettes, everything was clean, visible and.... her 8 week weaners were 8 weeks, tubby, solid and healthy.

So now I have mixes of pigs... and will need to bring these youngsters on.

I don't think they will thrive.... they look too small to be away from their mum. 

So cross with myself 

[The Woodsiders]

sounds like they are going to have a better life with you than the "Breeder"!!!
 

[Mammyshaz]

Don't beat yourself up. These type of people are very good at manipulating kind, caring people like yourself.
As has been said, at least the piglets will have a better future with you, even if they don't thrive as the well kept piggies. It's just one of those life experiences sent to test us 

So where are the piccies of all your new family members?? 

[Kitchen Cottage]

Piccies will follow today

The ones I got from Carol Knight are fabulous and she has a stellar reputation around here.  The other thing is, this mans are sold as pure GOS's and, I'm not sure they are... the ears don't lop...

Oh well, another lesson learnt.  I'm going to get the piglets on some milk as well I think though, the people who do "early weaning" swear they don't need it.

Any thoughts on "early weaners" (or babies grabbed from their Mothers teats before they would leave voluntarily  )?

[honeyend]

There is someone round here selling weaners for £15, I have seen his set up and we bought from a showing breeder and paid three times as much. Unfortunately there is always someone who wants to make a fast buck out of animals.

[Berkshire Boy]

KC don't beat yourself up you have given them a better chance at a good life. I would certainly start feeding them milk to give them a boost on top of their feed ration.
Have you got them separate from the others or the bigger ones will just bully them.

[hughesy]

Yes don't give yourself a hard time over it. If I had a quid for every time I've got home and said to myself "I shouldn't have bought it" I'd be a rich man now.

[sabrina]

Think most of us would have done the same !

[Fowgill Farm]

When we first started keeping pigs this happened to us a lot and being naive and non the wiser, we thought it was the norm for piglets to be literally ripped off their mother's teats and shoved in the back of our car and then have to be fed on milk and mashed nuts for a further 3wks. Older and wiser now like you, i would have done the same and brought them home. At least you know what you're doing and they stand a chance of growing on. I would get them on a milk and pig nut porridge because if they're as young as you think they are they've probably never eaten pig nuts persay and bring them up to  solid nuts gradually.
Would suggest you mention the breeders methods and way he keeps pigs to Animal health sounds like he may be the 'puppy farming' type only with pigs!
Mandy
 

[Hassle]

Not condoning this seller... I too have seen some horrendous sights looking for weaners and boars, but also some outstanding farms on the flip side ... anyway back to my point, depending on the sows condition you can wean at 5 weeks, the sow I have to say is your initial concern and you must look after her, obviously as stated KK didn't see the sow so this might not be the case in this situation.

[Fowgill Farm]

Not condoning this seller... I too have seen some horrendous sights looking for weaners and boars, but also some outstanding farms on the flip side ... anyway back to my point, depending on the sows condition you can wean at 5 weeks, the sow I have to say is your initial concern and you must look after her, obviously as stated KK didn't see the sow so this might not be the case in this situation.

Charlotte only brought home the 3 tiny piglets NOT their mum, who i dread to think what state that poor girls in by the sounds of the owner!
mandy

[Berkshire Boy]

KC how much did you pay for the tiny ones?

[Tiva Diva]

Don't be hard on yourself, just put it down as a learning experience. We sometimes wean our OSBs at 6 weeks if they're getting big for their age as the mums milk off their backs so much that they lose condition. Weaning early is not a sin in itself, but if the seller was claiming that they are 8 weeks when they look much younger, I'd be tempted to have a word with Trading Standards, and maybe with the BPA

[Kitchen Cottage]

£50 each.

erm.... Charlotte is my breeding sow, I'm Della 

My real issue is he SAID they were 8 weeks and they obviously aren't.  I'm going to take a photo and put it up later.  I am just cross with myself.  Also, he had separated them out so you couldn't see any of his breeding set up.

They are nice friendly piglets,  but too young.

I'll put up photos

[Marches Farmer]

Ow, I think I know where you'll be shopping for weaners in future!