Overdue Sow

[PattySh]

This is my first litter of piglets and the sow was due on the 13th (her first litter). Sow has milk and the babies are lower in the belly and quiet today. How long can she last if she has milk? Nervewracking, have been watching her on a barn cam on my livingroom tv. Freezing herein VT so have a heat lamp on her. Want to catch the birth to dry the babies off so they don't freeze. Hoping they will be ok if we dry them off well.

 

[jhm47]

We used to raise pigs in weather similar (or worse) than yours. The babies would seem to dry themselves off very quickly. The best advice I can give you is to be sure to clip needle teeth, and provide a corner where the babies can get away from mom. Many sows/gilts will lie down on one or more babies and crush them. If you can provide a warm, dry spot in a corner of a pen where the mom can't get to, the babies will be much safer. You will need to put the babies under the heat lamp for a day or so till they catch on. After a day or so, they seem to be attracted to the light. As to the needle teeth, it is important to clip them, as the babies will fight with each other while nursing, and not only cut up the teats, they will actually cut each other's snouts, and this can lead to infections. I used to use a side snipping pliers, and cut both top and bottom on each side. Doesn't hurt them a bit, and they don't fught nearly as much.

 

[PattySh]

Have the towels, nasal syringe (incase), iodine, tooth cutters, iron shots, and even castrating scalpels ready! We divided 1/3 of a 11x12 horse stall off for the babies giving her the rest, it has a 12" wide opening in the middle leading to the creep area that the sow can't fit thru. Currently the heat lamp is above the sow's "nest" for the birth. The sow sleeps in the far back left corner in her mound of hay and the baby area is at the front of the stall. Do you think they will be able to find mom if I put them under a heat lamp in the creep? I am worried about crushing but also them not finding mom to nurse.I have delivered 100's of pups but not in a barn in freezing weather, Barn pretty cool but her area is not drafty.Bred my goats to deliver in Feb instead of April so I guess I better get used to it, bred 6 to deliver Feb-Apr.

 

[jhm47]

It would be better if you could partition a corner nearer to where the sow lies. I always tried to get the sow to lie down with her udder right next to the heated area. That usually wasn't too hard, since they seemed to like the heat on their udder. But, yes, the babies will find the sow, they just may not return to the heated area on their own.

 

[PattySh]

She finally had them 4 days late

9 piglets, one is a little runt but holding her own, very scrappy.
Crossing fingers, it's really cold today.

 

[PattySh]

Partitioned off a corner but could not get them to go back to it, wanted to stay with their mother. She is being pretty careful. Very attentive and hasn't left them to eat her meal tonight even tho we give them a warm "stew" dinner with their grain. Left it in her pen. They can get under the hay rack that the heat light is in and she can't roll on them there. I am thinking it might work. The little runt is nursing and so far so good, she is about 1/2 the others size.

 

[ksalvagno]

little piglets are always so cute. Congratulations!

 

[Royd Wood]

Great photo and good luck with them little porkers

 

[aggieterpkatie]

They're so cute!!! I'm dying for a pig!

 

[PattySh]

Thanks everyone. They are all still alive today. Boy are they active and growing already. Charlotte is being very careful with them, makes them move before she lays down. Good so far, 6 are boys so I guess I'm thrown right into the castration thingy. I am thinking to get that done during the first week?