JHP Homestead Farrowing Thread - Now hand raising piglets!

JHP Homestead

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Our 1 year old Hereford gilt, Gert, is due June 15th with her first litter. Other than the 4 feeders we raised alongside her last year, she is our very first experience with pigs, so I’m very excited but also very nervous for her farrowing.

We moved Gert to her new stall in our barn last week in preparation for farrowing, and so we could start our garden, which was her previous home.

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We don’t have a farrowing crate, so we’re hoping she turns out to be a good mom and doesn’t squish the babies. The owner of Gert’s mom didn’t use crates and just had a creep area where the piglets could get away from mom, so we might put something like that in the corner of the stall. What do you guys think?

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luvmypets

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Do some belly photos so we can see her underline. It can give you a better understanding of when she will go.

Any nesting yet?

Is she friendly?

First time mums can be tricky. She will most likely be fine, but definitly be ready for everything.
 
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JHP Homestead

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No nesting yet. I gave her more straw today so she has plenty when she does decide to nest.

She’s not really friendly. She’ll come up to me and check me out, but doesn’t want to be pet unless she’s eating.

Here’s a little bit better picture of her belly. I think she looks like she still has a ways to go. Please excuse the mud, it’s been ridiculously rainy here.
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JHP Homestead

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A few days ago I noticed that Gert must have some sort of lice or mites. She’s getting some patchy hair loss and has some abrasions from scratching.

Not sure how she could have gotten it, maybe from the straw. So we treated her with ivermectin and raked all the straw out of her pen and put in sawdust instead.

Between her and my rabbits, homesteading sure has been stressful lately . I hope we’re due for some smooth sailing and she’s a good mama.
 

B&B Happy goats

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You gotta ride through the rough patches to appreciate the smooth times, I am sure your wet weather is a stressor for you and your animals...things will get better on the homestead :)
When we used to have pigs, we ran a board around the inside of the pen so sow could not lay on the piglets, they had a secure escape from her....good luck :clap
 

JHP Homestead

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You gotta ride through the rough patches to appreciate the smooth times, I am sure your wet weather is a stressor for you and your animals...things will get better on the homestead :)
When we used to have pigs, we ran a board around the inside of the pen so sow could not lay on the piglets, they had a secure escape from her....good luck :clap
Thanks!
I forgot to get a picture of it but we did put a board up in one corner to give the piglets somewhere to get away from her.
 

JHP Homestead

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I took a couple new pictures of Gert today. She looks to have more milk than last Thursday and is starting to get some swelling in her vulva(?, not positive on the correct anatomical name in pigs). We’re getting closer!

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