[matt286bay]

Hi all..  What's people's thoughts on types of farrowing pens??  Our first two sows are due in July and we're getting pens sorted....  Some people say farrowing rails are essential, others say let them get on with it, mother nature will take its course etc.. We're thinking of a brick pen with farrowing rails and heat lamp at  the moment.

Any views/tips/advice welcome?? 

[dixie]

Hi we converted a stable, added rails to 2 sides where the sow lies, then in one corner sectioned off a creep area with scaffold poles and added a heat lamp. One sow does like to fill up the rails so I have to clear the straw away each day but it does provide a great escape route if the sow lies too close to the wall, so far we have never lost a piglet to being crushed, they find the lamp on their own which gives the sow a break too! Others will have their own opinions too I;m sure!!

[JulieS]

I like scaffold poles around too dixie, not had any crushed either.  One of my sows likes to fill up the rails with straw too, so just have to keep an eye on that one.

I'm looking into converting one of the stables here for farrowing.  At the moment I have two farrowing arks, which have been fantastic even in the snow and bad weather in the winter.  They are 8' x 8' and have scaffold poles down either side and 2' in at the back, where there is a door.  They have been great, but a bit more space (for me) in the stable might be nice.

I haven't needed heat lamps in the arks, but I think in the stable I will need one.

Good luck with the farrowings, let us know how you get on.   

[matt286bay]

Thanks, thats helpful...  And backs up what we were thinking of doing.

Also...  At what age do you recommend taking the piglets off their mother?  Do you ever have cases where some are taken off and others left on longer, dependant on growth/fitness etc? 

Will let you know how we get on! 

[ukag0972]

We built a piglet cage from old metal bed slats. It let's the piglets to escape mum and has a heat lamp so they feed and go to the lamp.
It also works as a piglet creep when you start to feed them.
I've not had any squashed yet!!

I wean them when she's had enough, which is around 6/7 weeks. They are all weaned together and it's gives them a few weeks to feed themselves before they go to new homes.

[JulieS]

I wean at around 8 weeks, when Mum has had enough. 

[Helencus]

So what do you need to do to add farrowing rails and stuff? How high how long what exactly do you do? My hubby made our Arc and well need to build another plus add to our existing for farrowing.. Or could build pen in barn with farrowing rails but no idea what the dimensions are.

[Fowgill Farm]

Hi
Like Dixie we use a stable with scaffold rails & creche.
The stable is approx 10ft square and we have scaffold poles running round 3 sides approx 8 inches off the ground.
The creche is across once corner and is 3 poles high again 8 inches off ground and then same distance between the higher ones(so sow can't get her head thro or stuck!!) The door is a split one so the top or bottom can be left open as required. A heat lamp is hung over the creche area, we also have an auto bowl drinker installed as mummy pigs need a lot of liquid. If you got to the GOS website and look at my article To breed or not to breed there are sole pictures in it that show the creche and rails. heres the link.
http://www.oldspots.org.uk/getting_started5.asp
HTh
Mandy

[dixie]

Weaning depends on the sow and the size of the litter, one of mine has large litters and became really grumpy at 6 weeks so we weaned at 7, the next litter she was great with them, never got grumpy but she lost a lot of weight quickly at 7 weeks so we weaned then. She gained her weight in just a week! I always wean the whole litter at the same time, its the fairest way for all, ideally though I would wean at 8 weeks, but it all depends!