On Saturday my two sows farrowed, (first time for them and me) the first one did really well with 7 piglets but the second had a harder time of it. Two stillborns one of which was almost twice the size of any other, the piglets that made it (5) seemed to be doing OK but she was not recovering as well as the first sow.
She was hardly coming out and not drinking much and not eating her feed, I got her to eat some rice pudding and an apple and some bread. Then late last night I found a piglet dead, not sure if she had crushed it or it died for other reasons.
So as a first time experience, it was far from enjoyable and I was not looking forward to checking on them this morning and had decided that the vet would have to be called first thing.
Up early and straight over to the pen and was very relieved to see her outside with the piglets and that all of her feed had been eaten and most of her water too. I topped up her feed and she tucked in as she normally would, I continued to feed and water the other sow.
Once finished I lit a fag and stood there watching all of them, checking for anything wrong. Then I spotted it, an extra piglet.....could she have been carrying that piglet since Saturday??? You can see the piglet is smaller than the others and unsteady on its feet.
I am amazed.........all doing fine now.