We bought 2 breed sows on feb. 1 . Butterball is supposed to start piggin (farrow) at the end of this month and Michelle (named after my sister-in-law) is to start piggin at the end of April. But it sure looks like Michelle will pig first. Is there any way to tell when they are getting ready to pig. Michelle's tits are starting get bigger and kind of pointing out from each other (If you look at her from behind her 2 rows of tits look like a upside down V). Butterball tits are getting alittle bigger but not like Michelle's. Both other their bellys are big but I would'nt say they have dropped down. Do you think I should start gettin Michelle used to the piggin crate? Thanks for any help. On the top of Glade Top
Someone on here, I think it was Unk, told me that if you squeeze their teat, the one to farrow soon will let out milk. My sow, whose farrowing date was unknown, let out one tiny half a drop of milk the day before she farrowed. Litter size and the way she's carrying can influence the way the sow looks so it isn't a good indication of who will farrow first- though piglets do grow more rapidly toward the end. I am assuming of course you were told their respective dates correctly. As for the crate, I am not know what you are referring to. I don't use those metal things that restrain the sow. I had my sow up in her farrowing pen- a smaller 10 x 10 area- two weeks before. Good luck.
That last post was from my 19 month old daughter. It's not a crate like that. It's a small 10 by 10 pen attached to piggin hut where the piglets can get under the heat lamp and stay out of mommas way when she plops down. I just like getting them used to going into the hut before they pig. So I guess I will just pull tits on both until I get some milk then put that one in the piggin hut. The people we bought them off of told us the week they should pig . And it's four weeks apart. It just don't look like thats right.
Two things come to mind. Maybe the bigger one is carrying lots more piglets? When my sow was about to farrow she was HUGE. Her belly was about one inch from the ground- she must have been so uncomfortable. Turned out she only had 6 piglets that time. This time around she is pretty big with two months left to go so I am hoping for more piglets. The other thing- they won't let out milk until they are very close to their date so it won't be a good way to tell who should go to into crate. They won't have time to get used to it. But you will have the right one in there. Is it possible that the first one might not be pregnant at all?
You know I did'nt think about that. The previous owners said that michelle had 14 piglets her first time (this is her second). And butterball only had 8. So that could explain why she looks so much bigger. And it is also possible butterball is'nt breed . But The previous owners felt sure enough that she was breed that if either of them did'nt pig that they would give our money back.
You won't get any milk until the sow is almost ready to farrow (Within 24 hrs) A mature sow's udder and tits will always look fuller than a gilt's ever will, even a few days after farrowing. The udder and tits of a sow that has nursed a large litter will look fuller than that of a sow which nursed a small litter. However, the vulva (fleshy part around the piglet exit) will begin to swell several days, probably even a few weeks, b4 farrowing. A day or half a day b4 farrowing, the sow will almost always be extra fussy, aggressive against pen mates and may even carry sticks and straw around in her mouth. All are signs of the "nesting urge". Enjoy! I'm jealous.
Well butterball did'nt pig at the first of the month and michelle won' t be piggin at the end of the month. They both decide to pig yesterday at the same time. They both had 12 apiece. I found the best way to tell if a sow is about to pig is to know first hand when they got bred. It ended up being no big deal. Both sows pigged with no trouble and all 24 are strong and doing fine. We cut wolf teeth and docked tails on 12 today and will do 12 tomarrow. I can't believe how strong they are only being a day old. They sure are cute little bacons I mean piggy's
That is great! Nice big litters. I was thinking of you. My sows are all bred (breeding dates known) and the one due first in two weeks is the smallest of all. The one due third rivals the belly of the one due second. Belly size is not a way to determine much, except that they are indeed bred. Have fun!
HUH! If I ever get set up to have pigs, I will let you pick out my sows for me. You sure have good pigs! :haha:
I was wonderng about this. I've given iron shots to weak piglets I purchased from an idiot that wasn't feeding the sows and they were on concrete so they couldn't eat anything on their own. But I've not given iron shots to my own piglets. They did very well. Why is iron recommended? It's no big deal to shoot the piglets but is there a reason? Is it insurance in set ups with lots of stress, concrete, and mediocre nutrition? Or something to do with immunity? Or?
Hogs and pigs belong on dirt, and they get their minerals by eating dirt. Mothers Milk does not supply all of the minerals a baby pig needs and it effects their immune system. Baby pig will get dirt of off the mothers tits when the drink milk if they are on dirt. Baby pigs will root in dirt if on dirt and then they will get their minerals and be more healthy. If they don't get the iron they will die before to long. because they are on concrete and can't get the minerals they need. Lack of iron is what kills more pigs that most anything else. .
Thank you Happy Jack. Probably why mine did fine without iron shots- they are on grass and dirt. I appreciate your repsonse.
