When can you let the weanlings back in with mom?

happydog · #1 07/14/12, 05:23 PM

I separated my weaners at 6 weeks. They're nearly 3 months now. They're rapidly outgrowing their little pen and I don't have another pasture to put them in.

At what point can I turn them back in with their mom without them trying to go back to nursing? I'm afraid their mom is so easygoing she'd let them.

farmerstac · #2 07/15/12, 10:28 AM

Run them back together. The sow may be easy going, but when she tires of them she will let them know. They have been doing it a lot longer than us.

**highlands** · #3 07/15/12, 03:34 PM

I find the sows stop lactating after about three days but intense suckling could start them up again. Seven days is what I would set as a minimum and what I like to do is wean the piglets to a new space away from the mother for a month such that they are in an place where they interact a lot with us. This domesticates them. After that, in the winter we keep small pigs in age groups due to cold weather huddling crushing issues but in the warm months they're out on pasture with the herds generally speaking.

Rogo · #4 07/15/12, 03:39 PM

Nursing won't be a problem, but the youngsters are getting to mating age. Not a problem for some of us just making pork. Others may not want it to happen.

**highlands** · #5 07/15/12, 07:32 PM

I find that at three to five months they're just fooling around. Sex play. We've never seen a gilt get pregnant before six months and normal is eight months even in a mixed sex herd. Lots of action but Lolita pregnancies are rare. This is with farm pigs of Yorkshire x Large Black x Berkshire x Tamworth primarily. One might get different results with other pig breeds.

happydog · #6 07/15/12, 10:34 PM

Thanks guys. It's rained for 6 solid days here and their little pen is a sea of mud. They're gonna be so happy to get out.

Thanks!

Rogo · #7 07/15/12, 11:49 PM

My stock roam free on the acreage. I have 2 AHH boars penetrating each other. They just might wind up on the BBQ!!