I need some help. I have been searching the internet not finding much at all. We have a sow that is about to freshen any time now. We have never done this before. We weren't expecting to get her so quickly, do I didn't do my research as well as I should have. We have raised pigs before, but always purchased them after weaning. Any help, advise, et would be greatly appreciated. She is in an outdoor pen right now about 10'x10' . My dh built her a shelter but it is suppose to get down to 24 degrees tonight. I can't believe it. We live in Northern Wisconsin. Will she be okay in that weather if she farrows overnight? What do I need to do once the piglets arrive? Vaccines, worming, etc? We have been giving her growing feed mixed w/cracked corn, is this sufficient, should we change? Can we just give her cracked or whole corn or does she need the feed also? What can I expect during delivery? After? THank you thank you thank you for anyone who gives some advise or even a websight that will help would be great. I would love to go to the library today to get a book on it, but they are closed. Thank you for any and all help
make sure she has ample bedding ,about 2 bales of hay/straw will do if possible double check the protein content of the feed. do you have electric in the pen ? if so i would keep an eye on her and when she farrows put a well secured heat lamp in foer the little ones and do you have a rail in the farrowing hut to keep her from crushing the little ones ?a wooden rail about 10 inches of the ground and set on an angle so she cant roll on the little ones. you heat lamp goes behind the rail to help coach the babies to safety, the extra heat would also help mama pig too.
another point on feeding we soak the corn till its ready to sprout its something to do with the sugas/startch ratio. whole corn is what we soak
Thank you for the info. I don't have a bar across so she can't lay on her pigs. I'll go do that now. I did put heat lamp out there in the hutch but I didn't turn it on yet. I am so afraid of fire. I know the chance is remote, but it worries me at night when I am asleep. But maybe I should do that now anyways and take extra precautions. Thanks again Any more info is welcome
My sow had her babies about 3 weeks ago. I gave her about two bales of straw. I made it very comfy. I had left my momma and babies together for the first two weeks, then I seperated them I have two pen next to eachother. I made it so the babies can get in and out from mom whenever they wish. They are eating and drinking as well as still nursing. This was my first time with piglets. What to look for My sow had a clear discharge on her (it reminded me of snot). Here is a site someone had posted on here. I thought it was helpful. http://www.fao.org/docrep/T0690E/t0690e06.htm I alomost forgot I have the babies eating hog meal and mom on a mix of hog and cracked corn. Keep in mind the babies will eat when theyare ready to.
Soaking softens the shell, making it easier to crack and thereby increases the amount that is digestible. Uncracked shells might not digest if swallowed whole. It also allows the seed to germinate, causing the starch to start to be converted to sugars. If you then raosted them at this stage, and rolled them or ran them through a grist mill you could use them as your base for mash to make "corn beer or corn wine" which if then distilled would be corn whisky, but making your own whisky is illegal in most parts of the country.
