[Ann and Rob]

Margot is due to farrow on June 2nd, i know i have to reduce her feed the week before but does she need more feed till then?  I am sure I read it somewhere but now I cant find it and before anyone asks Yes i am blonde!!!

[Berkshire Boy]

I never reduce feed of a pregnant sow. She is eating for 10 or 12 she needs all the food she can get. She should be getting extra feed for about 3 weeks before she is due.

[oaklandspigs]

We feed extra (double if they eat it) for a couple of weeks before farrowing, that is when the piglets are putting on most weight.
 
Not sure where you go the reducing feed from, but not advice I'd follow.

[HappyHippy]

We up the feed for the last 4 weeks too.
But we give a bit less on the first day post farrowing (to avoid constipation) and build it up gradually after that.
HTH
Karen

[Fowgill Farm]

It was probably my scribblings but i don't mean denying her food or starvation rations , what i suggested was increased food until about 2 or 3 days before farrowing and then reducing back to her regular portion prior to farrowing as this helps reduce the size of the stomach and ease passage thro the birth canal of the piglets. Overfat sows can have problems at birth. Then as HH says build up the ration gradually again once she's given birth preferably over 3 or 4 meal times.
Hope this explains.
Mandy

[Hassle]

I amend feed in the last few weeks if the sow cleans her bowl in 20 minutes I add extra 1/4 pound if left over reduce.

On the day of/following farrowing the sow will get no feed, then start again the following day gradually increasing the ration so that the sow is on full feed by seven to ten days if she has had at least eight pigs in the litter.

I use a feed that is high in energy during lactation to support milk production.

[Berkshire Boy]

I don't reduce the feed post farrowing I have found some of my sows like to eat straight afterwards or certainly within a few ours of farrowing. I leave the food in the pen and its there if she wants it.
You will soon find what works for you and your pigs.

[Tiva Diva]

If she's on the tubby side I wouldn't increase her rations, as being fat can cause a difficult farrowing. Otherwise we increase our sows feed by about 25% in the last couple of weeks. We offer her some food after farrowing, usually some fruit (to help avoid constipation) and some milk for calcium. Then we increase her feed gradually in the days and weeks afterwards: the quantity depends on the number of piglets.
Good luck, and keep us posted!
 

[Beewyched]

I personally don't increase feed at all for my KKs, but change them over gradually from sow rolls to sow & weaner 2 weeks before their due date.
I then slowly increase post farrowing by 1/4 lb per piglet per week until weaning - I don't use a creep, so as the piglets start nibbling at 10-14 days mum gets less as they eat more feed!
Obviously fresh water always accessible, with additional fruit, veg & bread (as available).  When no grazing available I top-up with approx lb soaked sugarbeet/grassnuts/hay/silage per day.
Everybody has built up a "maternity kit" as best suits their/their pigs needs - the things I always have available for farrowing are; fully charged mobile phone (incase I need to "phone a friend" or the vet - make sure yours knows when a litter is due, in case they've only got a small animal vet on-call    -speaking from experience here); flask of coffee, chair, torch & blanket (for me    ) iodeine for the cords, cotton for tying any odd bleeding umbilical cord, OLD towels or T-cloths for drying-off the piglets (make sure they ARE old ones - not your OHs new/favourite ones    ), antibac gel (incase I have to go in - remember antibiotic jag to prevent any infection afterwards) & a 4-pack of sweetheart stout (to calm mum if needed, if not I will    ).  A heat lamp can be handy if it's very cold or damp, though I only use it in the winter for the 1st 2 weeks max.  I don't keep a supply of oxytocin, as I have a friendly farmer closeby & I have only ever had to use it once for an overweight, older "rescue".
As the piglets pop-out it's a good time to quickly check for any jaw deformities/cleft palates etc - they can often draw blood (mine) at a few days old. 
But ...
Much as I try to be with my girls when they farrow (I check for milk twice a day from about 3 days before their due date), I've been caught-out a few times & returned to find it all over & mum & babies are all doing fine 
Hope everything goes well for you & Margot & there's the sound of many little trotters soon   
 

[Button End Beasts]

I've heard it mentioned a few times to give the sow Sweetheart Stout. Is this a particular favourite of pigs or do they like other brands?

[Beewyched]

I've heard it mentioned a few times to give the sow Sweetheart Stout. Is this a particular favourite of pigs or do they like other brands?

Probably, but aren't all our girls wee sweethearts anyway 

[Tamsaddle]

Ours prefer cider, the stronger the better, but Mackesons stout, or any other brand, is quite popular too - Tamsaddle

[HappyHippy]

I've heard it mentioned a few times to give the sow Sweetheart Stout. Is this a particular favourite of pigs or do they like other brands?

Nah, they'll drink pretty much anything  But sweetheart stout was commonly used on human maternity wards apparently - it's full of iron and encourages milk production 

[Button End Beasts]

We gave Rocky, our boar, a can of Guiness when he got fidgety in our trailer. He soon downed that and forgot all about the "sweetheart" he was leaving behind. Typical bloke!

[Beewyched]

We gave Rocky, our boar, a can of Guiness when he got fidgety in our trailer. He soon downed that and forgot all about the "sweetheart" he was leaving behind. Typical bloke!