[Pigglewiggle]

 Hello all,

    Does any one have any tips for spotting if your pigs are pregnant, we had an accident a few weeks ago with a boar managing to jump the dividing fence.

 I have read all my pig books, but they are not all that helpful, they just say its not always easy to tell. some of them are due for the chop soon and I don't want to send them to the abattoir if they are pregnant.

  Any tips and ideas very welcome please, have never had expectant pigs before.

 Many thanks

 Debbie

[Gary]

Check your gilt between 19 and 25 days after the date the boar served her and if her vulva slightly enlarges and goes redder  in appearence then she is not in pig as she has just returned to season.

[HappyHippy]

Another way to check if she's in season is to get in beside her and push (firmly, but not too hard) her back end - if she's in season you'll not budge her !
What age are your pigs ? if they're porkers at 6 months I wouldn't have thought they'd be old enough to get in pig (but, others may have stories that disprove that theory !)
If you're still not sure after the time she'd be due to be in season some vets would come out and scan her (that could be a very expensive exercise) but worth it to be 100% sure before she goes.
Up until about 3 weeks before my Kune Kune farrowed I still had doubts as to whether or not she was actually in pig and I've heard in said on here that the only way to know for certain is when the piglets arrive.
Good luck and let us know how you get on.
Karen

[little blue]

Does any one have any tips for spotting if your pigs are pregnant,

... does she have any odd cravings?  emotional outburst?  tearful?
 
sorry, just kidding   

ours are due next month, and look pretty "heavy" underneath...

[Fowgill Farm]

If  you have a friendly sheep farmer nearby who has a doppler scanner for his sheep he might come and have a listen but pregnancy is only really detectable this way after 6wks.
HTh
mandy

[Pigglewiggle]

Thanks,
 
  We are keeping a close eye on them, have decided it would be lovely if we did get little ones. Will keep you posted .

Debbie

[Gary]

I can assure you its the best feeling ever but also addictive once you know there will piglets you will be up down up down checking all day and night its worth it though!!!!!! good luck and please keep us in the know!
Gary

[Eve]

Any idea yet, Pigglewiggle?


Eve 

[Pigglewiggle]

 Hi,

  Have decided our Pietrain cross is definately pregnant, just not sure how far.. I thought the boar had got in their pen around the 19th July, but she looks big if those dates are correct.

  I have a couple of questions please, how long before she is due do we need to seperate her from the others ? (would be easier if I new the exact date)......

 Also, does she need extra food whilst pregnant ? if so how much should we be giving her ?

 All help and advice greatfully received, am looking forward soo much to little ones, not sure what they will look like tho. Mum is a Pietrain cross with Berkshire, Dad is Middle White X Large Black... any ideas ?

 Debbie

[HappyHippy]

Hiya,
We seperated our sow about 5 days before, but if I'd been spot on with my dates it would have only been 3 days  She really didn't look pregnant until about 4 weeks before she was due - I kept having doubts 
I gave a bit of extra food towards the end (but not much, just an extra scoop - it's a Kune Kune I've got, you could maybe up it a bit since your sow is bigger) Just keep an eye on her and see if she's looking for extra, you don't want them to get too fat (other than because of the piglets!) or else you could have problems when she farrows.
Her udder will start to develop up to a month before, her vulva will redden and swell a couple of days before and once you can express milk from her, labour should start within 24 hours.
As for your mix - WOW the resultant piglets will be tasty, long bodied and very very cute 
Good luck
Karen x

[Hilarysmum]

I increase the feed about 3 days before due date and once the babies are born I increase until the sow is having around 3 kilos per day plus 1/2 lb per baby per day up until the babies start eating then feed almost ad lib.  I dont know the scientific reasoning behind this, but its what Hilary taught me and has worked well for all sows since. 

Congratulations on the forthcoming happy event, your life will never be the same again......

[Pigglewiggle]

WOW we have piglets....its amazing....

 9 little piggies there when I went to feed them this morning. totally unprepared we were. We hadn't seperated her from the others, we have now. but all the others were not in the ark this morning, I wondered what was wrong.
 Then I saw a little pink pig wandering around. Must of been born either last night or early this morning.
 So much for my wanting to prepare, the pigs seem to know what to do without any help from us..

  Was so excited, i dropped the pig food and ran back up the field for my phone to ring Mark.. They are soooo cute.

  Am just concerned as we didn't know the dates, she wasn't wormed before she had them. Should I do anything now, to protect the piglets ?

  I will take some pictures tomorrow and post them on here ...

   

 

[faith0504]

CONGRATULATIONS that is lovely cant wait to see the pics 

[little blue]

we had an accident a few weeks ago with a boar managing to jump the dividing fence.

... he's got strong swimmers then!!   
congratulations on the piglets....

[Hilarysmum]

Congratulations.  You could worm her in a couple of weeks time, I understand it passes through to the piglets from the milk.  (This could be an old wives tale though).