She is a razorback/domestic cross. May even have some potbelly influence, I'm not sure of her genes. I kept her cause she was pretty. When the little ones are weaned she is going to the freezer since I am cutting back on total animals due to feed prices. The little ones are sired by my razorback. Six total 2 males and 4 females. A couple are very, very small but all are alert. If anyone is in the central Florida area- the little ones are all for sale or trade.
Thanks cowgirlone and James. Already she suffocated one of the larger girls. :waa: I was expecting a nice little boar from this litter to keep as a breeder but that won't be the case. I've got a sister to this one due to farrow on the 16th- maybe she will produce a better prospect.
(hands tissues to Tango) I'm sorry to hear about the piglet. I dont own pigs, but wanted to look at the picture anyway when I saw your thread. Too cute. I hope the rest of the groups grows well.
Thanks MomInGa, the remaining five made it through the night and look good and firm with plump bellies. I just don't understand why they are so little The mom is doing well and is not as protective as I thought she would be. She's a real heck raiser. So far I've gone up and checked them all out and she's left me alone. The razorback girl I raised from a 2-week orphan wouldn't even let me do that with her first litter. The smallest male has been held several times. He's only about 1 pound. I don't cut teeth or dock tails or anything so they haven't been as loud as they could have, but still. I was worried about her reaction to me. I'm relieved to see she is being a champ about my presence (especially since I'm so nosey when there are little ones to be held) .
might she still have some pigs in her? also a rail about 10 inches of the floor lets the litte ones get away from her but it needs to be at an angle so its hard for her to roll over on them.
Don't think she has any pigs left- her afterbirths were accounted for. Six is about par for this type of pig, especially a first timer. She isn't in a farrowing pen. I've left the sows all in a 20 x 30 pen, with free movement. The little ones can go wherever they want , even outside the pen.
We try to give the pigs lots of hay or straw in their bed/nest in the winter and during farrowing. The pigs like to burrow through it so it stays pretty soft. If a mother rolls on to her piglet it has a little more breathing room this way. Our pot belly pigs look a lot like your razorbacks. They are really small but full of energy. ElaineK
Hi Elaine, My third sow is farrowing right now- pretty cool. This is my fourth litter and I've never seen one just shoot out like I did this morning. So far there are six piglets and they're all nursing. I have hay for them too but because they are not confined they choose whatever place suits them at the time. I think they choose cool sand because of our temperatures- only the second time farrower, Itchy, farrowed on the hay I had set out for her. But at least they get to nibble on it We have been getting into 90 degrees during the day and I'm out there with the hose three times from 11 to 7 to let them wallow and bathe. It has been very dry. Do you have any photos of your potbelly pigs?
LOL, funny you should ask that question because the past two days I've been thinking a lot about this one girl. She nuzzles her babies gently to sleep. It is cool to watch. I think this one I will be keeping and breeding again to a different razorback boar I hope to get. She is not as friendly as the one I hand -raised but I can't say any of them are crazy. I can't pet her or her sister and vaccination time is a special treat They are aloof more than anything though.
