# LMP's 2019 Farrowing Thread: New babies from Lucy and Prissy



## luvmypets (Jan 6, 2019)

We recently purchased two new gilts off of a couple in NY. They are both bred, with one of them being 100% confirmed by their vet. They said the vet was unsure on the second girl, however, they got them scanned very early on and these girls are quite fat, even for the breed which is a naturally fat pig. They also said that they did not behave during scanning. Both girls are getting pretty big, and if their owners got the breeding date right the first girl will be due Feb 26. But we all know how due dates go, so I will be keeping a close eye on both of them, most likely I will move them in the barn a week prior. We also bought the sire, he is a very friendly boar we named Atlas. 

Our main sow Priss is taking a break so she can put weight back on. She blessed us with 19 beautiful piglets from two separate litters in 2018 and it has really taken a toll on her. She gives everything to her babies, which is a desirable trait in a sow, however, she needs to put some weight on before we breed her again. 

Here is the gilt who is further along, she doesn't have a name yet. She is a gentle girl, loves to get scratches. 



 



 



Here is the other gilt who I named Maeja(my-ah) and she is a sweetheart, she loves belly rubs






 




Here are the girls together


 

Un-named gilt and Atlas


 

This is Atlas, he lives for belly rubs


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## LlamaGirl4 (Jan 6, 2019)

They are very cute!!


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## Latestarter (Jan 6, 2019)

Looks to me like he "lives to eat!" That's a pretty hefty mouthful of grasses there! They sure blend in well when they lie down in the grass. Might not be the case when the grass is green/growing. Of course by then, they may have the pasture rooted up to look like the barren area the other pigs are now living in.   Hope they're both pregnant, hope no birthing issues, hope for healthy piglets and lots of them!


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## luvmypets (Jan 6, 2019)

Latestarter said:


> Looks to me like he "lives to eat!" That's a pretty hefty mouthful of grasses there! They sure blend in well when they lie down in the grass. Might not be the case when the grass is green/growing. Of course by then, they may have the pasture rooted up to look like the barren area the other pigs are now living in.   Hope they're both pregnant, hope no birthing issues, hope for healthy piglets and lots of them!


He is actually gathering “dry” grass to use as bedding. The rest of the gang will be out in the pasture soon so it will get all rooted up. Im excited for more striped piggies! The october litter has grown out of theirs.


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## luvmypets (Jan 6, 2019)

LlamaGirl4 said:


> They are very cute!!


Super friendly too! They are a super fun breed of pig.


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## luvmypets (Jan 12, 2019)

Well, I think we will be seeing babies sooner than anticipated. It was lovely out today so I went to see the girls and Maeja is starting to develop and udder. It's the very beginning stages, just a little puff in her teats that wasn't there before. We also felt and saw lots of action from her babies, which tells me it will probably be a month max. before we see her little ones. From my notes on Priss the first time I documented movement was 18 days before she had them, and for Emmy it was 16. Im ready to see a batch of little striped babes.


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## luvmypets (Jan 16, 2019)

Poor Maeja is so uncomfortable. Cannot blame her, those babies act like her uterus is a punching bag. Both girls came inside today as it will be getting very cold and with Maeja bagging up we dont want to risk losing any babies. With that being said we still have no idea when she will go but we have got a close eye on her. 



 

You can see she is starting to get a bit swollen.


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## Latestarter (Jan 16, 2019)

Oh yes! Milk bar becoming visible! shouldn't be too long. That looks like 2 pregnant sows... ? Are there 2 getting ready?


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## luvmypets (Jan 16, 2019)

Latestarter said:


> Oh yes! Milk bar becoming visible! shouldn't be too long. That looks like 2 pregnant sows... ? Are there 2 getting ready?


They are both coming along though Maeja is the only one bagging up. They are sisters and have a very strong bond so we wont seperate them until the first litter arrives


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## luvmypets (Jan 17, 2019)

So I was just thinking. Whenever we have a decent sized snowstorm it seems that the mamas give birth the next day. Its happened twice now, once with Rosie and once with Priss. And supposedly we have one coming tomorrow. I doubt it will be that soon but who knows!


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## luvmypets (Jan 19, 2019)

Maeja is acting very strange, it shouldn’t be long now. I didn’t get a chance to visit her yesterday but the night before she was being overly cuddly. She would come up to me and rest her head in my lap as I stroked her curls. Today she is even more cuddly however she is also extremely antsy. She will lay down for a few minutes demanding to be pet before ultimately jumping up in obvious discomfort before laying down and so on. She is very nibbly today as well, she kept pulling the zipper down on one of my jackets. She is very jumpy even to the quietest sounds and breathing is getting labored. Earlier I was sitting next to her and she was sitting like a dog with her head in my lap and I rested my head on top of hers which calmed her down for a bit. I can tell she is scared, so I am staying by her for a bit. She was laying up at the moment nibbling on the stall walls and the straw around her while shifting uncomfortably before jumping up and getting a little too mouthy on my coat.


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## Latestarter (Jan 19, 2019)




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## luvmypets (Jan 21, 2019)

I still think we have a few days yet. And to be completely honest Im praying she holds out until wednesday at least. For the last 24hrs it has been absolutely frigid, especially for our area. This morning it was 4* with a real feel of -15. Now since then we have gotten up to 12* but the last thing we want is babies born in this weather. Tomorrow it will go into the 20’s and get warmer from there. I don’t think she will go today as not much has changed with her besides her calming down some. I visited her this afternoon and it just seemed that she was very hungry. I will go check up on her in a few hours.


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## Wehner Homestead (Jan 21, 2019)




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## luvmypets (Jan 21, 2019)

Checked on her tonight, she and her sister built a huge pile of straw and were cuddled up together. Also as of today she has a tiny bit of milk. So if she is the same as Priss it will be about a week until she is ready.


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## Bruce (Jan 22, 2019)

Hope the temps warm up for birthing day and the following days!
I still can't get over how curly haired they are.


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## Baymule (Jan 23, 2019)

That picture of Atlas with a big mouth full of grass is priceless. Well done on getting that picture. It should be POW.

More babies! On baby countdown! I hope everything goes well for them both.


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## luvmypets (Jan 23, 2019)

I have a hunch Maeja with farrow tomorrow. Although now that I have said that she will probably make me wait. Her milk has been coming in since monday so we are on the final countdown. She was very cuddly tonight but she was also nesting a bit. However with these girls it may just be her getting comfy for the night. We will see tomorrow. 



 



 

She is done


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## Baymule (Jan 24, 2019)

Most people who raise pigs, just raise pigs. You truly love each and every one, pet and pamper them, and each one is dear to your heart. They know how loved they are, respond to you and love you right back.


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## luvmypets (Jan 24, 2019)

@Baymule I read a quote once that said “I believe it is ok to kill an eat animals. But we need to treat them well and let them live happy and healthy”. That’s been my philosophy since we started. 

Maeja is still holding tight, and I plan on visiting her later. My dad sent me a picture of her laying down and she just looks done. But her udder looks pretty big.


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## Bruce (Jan 24, 2019)

She's waiting patiently so you can be there when the babes come!


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## luvmypets (Jan 24, 2019)

Bruce said:


> She's waiting patiently so you can be there when the babes come!


Everytime I have left to go home i have told her “don’t you dare farrow without me”. Hopefully she listens!


No changes as of today, besides being a bit more restless and mouthy.


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## Bruce (Jan 25, 2019)

luvmypets said:


> Everytime I have left to go home i have told her “don’t you dare farrow without me”. Hopefully she listens!


Well THAT jinxed it!


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## luvmypets (Jan 25, 2019)

Maeja was nesting more but I still dont think it will be today. Her bag got huge overnight and she is so uncomfortable.





Minutes before she had bitten me, and then she threw herself into my lap demanding attention.


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## frustratedearthmother (Jan 25, 2019)

That might be the cutest picture I've ever seen!  Love it!


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## Latestarter (Jan 25, 2019)

That is an awesome pic!


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## goatgurl (Jan 25, 2019)

oh my I was really hoping she had popped those piggies out by now.  nope.  and that has to be the cutest picture of you two.  hope all goes well in the coming days.


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## Bruce (Jan 26, 2019)

There is a POW picture!

Sure, bite me then expect me to love on you? Guess it worked out her way though.


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## Baymule (Jan 26, 2019)

That is  a great picture, need to enter that in POW.


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## luvmypets (Jan 27, 2019)

You know doe code? Its got nothing compared on what Maeja was pulling last night..


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## Bruce (Jan 27, 2019)

Sow code! Good luck LMP, maybe today is the day.


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## luvmypets (Jan 27, 2019)

She has every textbook sign of imminent labor. She has enough milk, her vulva is swollen, she’s been nesting for three days, she has been chewing on everything, increased respiration when she isn’t resting she is pacing. I cant give her her normal water bucket because after she drinks she dumps it everywhere. I was hoping she would go before I had to go back to class. I will check on her before school tomorrow.


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## Baymule (Jan 28, 2019)

You need hog nipples! You put the water container on the outside of the pen, with a short pipe going into the pen with a hog nipple on the end. They bite down on the nipple and it releases water. I got mine at Atwoods.


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## luvmypets (Jan 28, 2019)

Baymule said:


> You need hog nipples! You put the water container on the outside of the pen, with a short pipe going into the pen with a hog nipple on the end. They bite down on the nipple and it releases water. I got mine at Atwoods.


I know, I’ve been talking to my dad about trying some out to see how they hold.


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## Bruce (Jan 28, 2019)

No time like the present!


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## luvmypets (Jan 29, 2019)

Very intense nesting right now, she is very focused. Also her bag got super swollen overnight.


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## Ridgetop (Jan 29, 2019)

Hog nipples work great.  Every livestock supplier carries them.  in a pinch you can also get the pet store ones sold for dogs.  We used 50 gallon barrels with hog nipples at the Fair so our hogs would not be able to tip over the water.  You drill a hole in the barrel about a foot from the ground, then use rubber washers on each side and a PVC nut to hold the hog nipple in place.  Check for leaks and it should work.  The advantage for you in a barrel would be you can put a water warmer in the barrel and it will keep the water from freezing.  In your temperatures, if you run a pipe instead, make sure you wrap it in rubber insulation.  If she tries to knock over the barrel, you can tie it to the sides of the pen. 

What breed are the pigs?  I have never seen any with curly hair.  I only know about meat breeds and commercial crosses for Fair.


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## luvmypets (Jan 29, 2019)

They are mangalitsa, a rare meat breed. They are fairly new to the US.


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## Ridgetop (Jan 29, 2019)

They are super cute, but what is the yield in carcass?  Are they just for pets now, or are they saleable as meat hogs?


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## luvmypets (Jan 29, 2019)

Ridgetop said:


> They are super cute, but what is the yield in carcass?  Are they just for pets now, or are they saleable as meat hogs?


Im not sure of the yield, my dad takes care of that. We don’t normally sell them as feeders, instead we grow them out, get them processed and then we sell whole or half pigs to restaurants. We had a chef from Iberico(i think thats how you spell it) and he told us the our pigs reminded him of home.


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## Ridgetop (Jan 29, 2019)

We liked Polish Spotted hogs for our own table since they carried more fat than commercial hogs. Do these carry more fat or are they super lean like commercials.  We like fat on a hog since the super lean pork is not really tender and flavorful.  Of course, we used to feed our hogs on corn soaked in goat milk so they were very tasty!  LOL


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## luvmypets (Jan 29, 2019)

Ridgetop said:


> We liked Polish Spotted hogs for our own table since they carried more fat than commercial hogs. Do these carry more fat or are they super lean like commercials.  We like fat on a hog since the super lean pork is not really tender and flavorful.  Of course, we used to feed our hogs on corn soaked in goat milk so they were very tasty!  LOL


These are old type lard pigs, they are originally from hungary so they do fine in our climate. They take significantly longer to grow but its worth it for the end result.


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## Ridgetop (Jan 29, 2019)

Where are you located, what part of the country?


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## luvmypets (Jan 29, 2019)

Ridgetop said:


> Where are you located, what part of the country?


 We are in the US, east coast. We have great connections with upscale restaurants in NY.


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## Ridgetop (Jan 29, 2019)

Weather is pretty cold there.  How are you doing with the freeze that is hitting the midwest and east coast?  Hopefully the weather will ease up for farrowing.  Do you use heat lambs in your farrowing barn?


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## Bruce (Jan 29, 2019)

luvmypets said:


> Very intense nesting right now, she is very focused. Also her bag got super swollen overnight.


I'm guessing that is the nest because I don't see a pig in there 



Ridgetop said:


> Do you use heat lambs in your farrowing barn?


Ooh, heat lambs, dual duty! Keep the young pigs warm then get sold for someone's dinner.


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## luvmypets (Jan 29, 2019)

Ridgetop said:


> Weather is pretty cold there.  How are you doing with the freeze that is hitting the midwest and east coast?  Hopefully the weather will ease up for farrowing.  Do you use heat lambs in your farrowing barn?


They honestly aren’t bothered by the weather, they have such a thick layer of fat that they dont really get cold. I have seen them lay outside in the middle of a storm and they are not bothered. We have our October 2018  litter living outside and they are doing fine. We move all girls into our barn for farrowing. They get a 10x10 stall all to themselves, plus lots of extra attention. Our girls are very tame and love scratches. We do have a heatlamp as we have some really cold days coming later this week. I think she is in labor, but she has put on such a show these past few days so I wont know till I see hard pushes.


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## Ridgetop (Jan 29, 2019)

Good luck!  Always worrisome the first time, but you have the experience to take care of things.


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## luvmypets (Jan 30, 2019)

Three babies were born over night but one passed away. I had a hunch she may have been having some difficulty, and by the size of the dead baby that was most likely the case. The baby was huge and was easily 2x the size of the live ones. The other two are so damn cute. There is a little boy and a little girl, both with round bellies full of milk. Maeja is a good momma and watched me carefully as I pet her babies, talking to them before going back to munch on her grain. She didn’t mind me near them which made me so happy! And although two babies isn’t the best litter size, I am greatful for happy babies and a healthy momma. Plus its her first litter, so she has time to prove herself.


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## Latestarter (Jan 30, 2019)

Momma is up and doing momma things, so I guess there shouldn't be any more stuck inside, right?   Maybe trying to stay warm? As big as she was, I'd have expected more...   Glad the 2 are doing well.


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## Bruce (Jan 30, 2019)

Congrats on the two, sorry about the 3rd. I wonder why it was so much bigger.


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## luvmypets (Jan 30, 2019)

Mangalitsa pigs in general are known for smaller litter sizes. Not that its always true, as Priss had 11 her first go. However with that being said she was two years old by the time she farrowed. Now Maeja is only 10 months old, and it was her first litter so I think she will do much better next time. Plus she is an amazing momma and has a lot of milk so I may grab some and freeze it for emergencies.


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## luvmypets (Jan 30, 2019)

There is a heat lamp set up but they refuse to use it. The want to be by mommas side.


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## B&B Happy goats (Jan 30, 2019)

That is adorable  ...you are submitting  it for POW i hope


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## Dee Mini Pigs (Jan 31, 2019)

Hi Everyone, 
I heard that some of you are freezing at the moment, I personally have never experienced super cold, went to Tasmania once, to see snow, nope, was cold but just saw a little ice on some rocks, I hope you are all okay and I’m thinking of you all, stay safe and warm, and if you can’t get warm well I suppose you could go and cuddle our wonderful animalsLove Dee.


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## Latestarter (Jan 31, 2019)

Oh man Dee... you mean we have to wait for real cold to cuddle our animals?


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## luvmypets (Jan 31, 2019)

Last night was probably the coldest night we are going to have with a real feel of -15. Talk about a day to be born..Maeja did great keeping her little ones warm. I didn’t go to see them today because I had other things to do but my dad said they are looking great. He also saw her nursing them, which I knew they were getting fed because of how fat they were, but I never actually saw her nurse them. More pictures when I get the chance.

Calliope the other gilt should be due by the end of the month. She is huge compared to Maeja, so she should have more babies hopefully. Oh and Priss got moved out into the field with Atlas, so we should be seeing another litter from her in may. She is looking so much better now. It was funny, Atlas hated her at first, I think cause he was mad we took his girls away. However after a few days he was flirting it up with her. Now they lay together in their shelter, talk about a love story


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## Bruce (Feb 1, 2019)

"Love the one you are with!"


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## luvmypets (Feb 1, 2019)

Im feeling disgusting right now. We lost Calliope’s litter.


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## frustratedearthmother (Feb 1, 2019)

OH no....so sorry to hear that!


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## B&B Happy goats (Feb 1, 2019)

Really sorry, that is a set back..


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## BlessedWithGoats (Feb 1, 2019)

Oh no! I'm so sorry.


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## Latestarter (Feb 1, 2019)

Truly sorry LMP... What happened?


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## luvmypets (Feb 1, 2019)

They froze... she didnt build a nest..10 perfect babies.. scattered all around the stall.

Im just so mad...At so many different things.


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## Latestarter (Feb 1, 2019)

sad loss... guess a farrowing crate might have proven beneficial... shy of actually being there yourself to oversee... Sorry again.


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## Baymule (Feb 1, 2019)

You weren't even expecting them yet. I am so sorry for the loss. I am sorry for her, the babies and you. Big hugs. You are a good piggy mommy, we all know that.


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## Wehner Homestead (Feb 2, 2019)

Darlin’ don’t beat yourself up too much. Things happen. Even when we have a ton of experience, things happen. First time expectant moms are the hardest to predict/monitor/etc. It’s such a learning curve for so many of them too!


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## Bruce (Feb 2, 2019)




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## luvmypets (Feb 2, 2019)

One more baby this AM.. It hurts...a lot. Seeing Calliope so heartbroken and confused. I haven’t broken down like that in a long time. We are hurt both emotionally and finacially. We could have had 15 little ones but we only have two.. We have made such a commitment now and we are not going to give up. My dad and I talked and we will be putting Calliope back out with Atlas in the next few weeks. She will have some time to recover. And Maeja will also be going back out with him once she weans her babies. As farmers these kinds of losses happen to all of us, but every heartbreak comes with a valuable learning experience and lessons you won’t forget. 

Thank you all for your kind replies. Im still hurting right now but I am focusing on the future. And for now I’ve got these two to snuggle on.


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## Baymule (Feb 2, 2019)

Big hugs. You've had a kick in the gut, but you are a farmer. Farmers take the hits, get up and get back in the game. You have every right to cry and grieve, heck, I cry over dead little lambs and grieve too. We cry, then we wipe our eyes, wash our face and start over. Breeding them back is a good idea, you will soon have lots of little piggies.


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## luvmypets (Feb 7, 2019)

The babies turned a week old yesterday! They are extremely healthy and very chunky. They are definitely the fastest growing babies we have seen yet. I think I will name the little gilt Mavis, however if she is a keeper or not is yet to be seen. Maeja’s babies are pretty shy but I have gotten both of them to roll on their side for belly rubs while half asleep under a heat lamp. I think they are starting to understand that I don’t bite. Maeja is a great momma and is very protective, and attentive. Although sometimes when I pet her babies she gets jealous so she will nudge them up and start rearranging straw to position them away from me. The other day I let Calliope out to enjoy the sun and she went around the side of the barn where Maeja has here babies. Maeja was having none of it and when she heard another pig she stood her ground and even charged a few times. Now there is a thick oak wall between the two and I doubt she could see onto the other side but Maeja was on high alert.











She constantly does this to make sure they are ok, such a sweet gal!








Always rests facing towards them.




And here she is nursing them 
https://www.instagram.com/p/BteVnmMF2ak/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=n8bs4mlwc52n


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## Baymule (Feb 7, 2019)

Awwwww……. she is such a good mom. And the good mom has a good mom too!


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## Bruce (Feb 7, 2019)

Easy to get chunky when you don't have to share with 10 others! Cute little piggies and such a good mother.


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## luvmypets (Feb 9, 2019)

Calli went out with Atlas today, and he didn’t waste any time. So if she took we will be seeing new babies early june. 

Also sadly Atlas has been becoming extremely aggressive. We though he was just cranky because we took his girls, but this behavior has been going on for weeks. He started getting aggressive with me then my brother and today he pretty much sealed his fate by full on lunging at my dad. I don’t get why he has gotten so mean, he was so sweet when we first got him.


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## Baymule (Feb 10, 2019)

luvmypets said:


> I don’t get why he has gotten so mean, he was so sweet when we first got him.



Balls.


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## luvmypets (Feb 10, 2019)

Baymule said:


> Balls.


Yep, talked to a more experienced pig farmer last night. She told me all of it is normal behavior.


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## Baymule (Feb 10, 2019)

Kinda like a mean rooster, it has a thumb nail sized brain and thumb size testicles.


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## luvmypets (Feb 17, 2019)

So my dad and I have been doing a lot of talking together as well as with other farmers about what happened to Calli. I have been doing my own research as well and we have come to the conclusion that her babies were stillborn. There are many medical reasons this could have happened, but at the end of the day I think it just happened. No reason, just nature. Although we are still pretty sad about this, she has another chance to be a mother. I have her marked to farrow on June 3rd. 

I’m also watching Priss who should be farrowing the week of May 10. I don’t have an exact date, my dad says he has been counting for a few weeks but he doesnt know the day he started . Im not overly concerned with watching her. She is an exceptional mother and this is her third litter. We will be putting her in the barn a week prior and then letting her do her thing. 

Maeja’s little angels are doing wonderfully. They are starting to get fat rolls.


 



 

We socialize our babies from an early age. I love how Maeja trusts me but still keeps a watchful eye.



Here is a vid of them playing 
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bt4fOQHFZST/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=13yu0khwgo36o


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## B&B Happy goats (Feb 17, 2019)

Lucky little pigs to have such good mommas, nice job ...


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## Bruce (Feb 17, 2019)

It isn't a happy thing that Calli's litter was stillborn but I think that is better than they died from bad mothering. Hopefully whatever caused them to be stillborn won't happen the next time.


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## Baymule (Feb 17, 2019)

I think you are right to give Callie another chance. Sometimes things just happen. 

My very first lamb was born early and dead. I kept the ewe and gave her another chance. Ewenique has raised twins every year since. I couldn't ask for a better momma.

I think your Callie will make a good momma.


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## luvmypets (Feb 22, 2019)

I can’t believe how fat they are getting


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## Bruce (Feb 24, 2019)

Not hard when the bar is supplying enough for many more piggies!


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## Wehner Homestead (Feb 26, 2019)

Totally cute!


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## luvmypets (Mar 26, 2019)

I will put a more in depth update in my journal but I wanted to tell all of you a bit of what has been going on at the farm. So right now we have 3, year old gilts who are very pregnant, like I can see/feel babies kicking. They are still much smaller than I would like to breed them but I doubt they will be in any form of danger labor-wise. I like to let the girls get to about 1.5 years before breeding as by then they are able to carry larger litters. These girls are still small in that respect so Im not expecting more than four from them. The girls were so cuddly, especially the biggest one Jolly. She was following me everywhere and demanding pets. Than the other two Opal and Rayla came in to harrass me shortly after. I was sitting with my legs stretched out and Rayla threw herself into my lap. Needless to say I think these girls are miserable. We are going to section off a part of the shelter so they have a space to bond with their babies. In the past we have had gilts just drop their babies and leave. Not because they were bad mums, but because they had no idea what was happening. Im trying my best to be there with them but its hard to say if i can with school.

Jolly was so cuddly today


 

Opal, this was from the weekend, her belly has grown quite a bit since then.


 

Priss and Calli are gestating in the upper field w/ prissy starting to show. 


 


 

And maeja is in the barn still with her not-so-little babes. Although they have been getting supervised yard time that they enjoy. Cant believe they are almost ready to be weaned.




She is producing so much milk for them. She looks pretty silly with all her other teats dried up.








You can tell they’re up to something


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## Baymule (Mar 26, 2019)

I love your pig pictures. That sounds like a good idea to pen the new moms up so they can figure out that those squirmy little things belong to them.


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## Bruce (Mar 27, 2019)

luvmypets said:


> I was sitting with my legs stretched out and Rayla threw herself into my lap.



How long before you could get up? 
Piggies are looking good!


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## luvmypets (Mar 28, 2019)

Bruce said:


> How long before you could get up?
> Piggies are looking good!


Few seconds thankfully, she got pushed out by Lucy shortly after.


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## luvmypets (Apr 8, 2019)

Jolly, Opal, and Rayla are all getting pretty grumpy. Unless of course you give them cuddles. Its difficult when all three want attention at once. All of them are getting pretty developed underlines, so we moved the to the maternity suite. Jolly will most likely go first, yesterday her vulva really puffed up so we are getting close. All mamas have movement so Im praying for healthy babies.

Here is my dad on snuggling duty, Jolly stands impatiently waiting for attention


 

Right is Rayla, Left is Jolly. You can see how puffy Jolly is getting. I feel bad for her, her babies kick really hard, sometimes I can see the whole outline of one of them.





Prissy girl looks stunning and is back to a healthy weight. Cant wait for her may litter!


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## Baymule (Apr 9, 2019)

Do you ever plant veggies or treats for the pigs? I'm thinking watermelons or pumpkins.


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## luvmypets (Apr 11, 2019)

Baymule said:


> Do you ever plant veggies or treats for the pigs? I'm thinking watermelons or pumpkins.


We don’t but they get lots of kitchen scraps.


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## luvmypets (Apr 11, 2019)

I think Jolly is in the final stretch, poor gal so cuddly tonight. I was sick for three days and in that time her belly really dropped.


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## Baymule (Apr 11, 2019)

Maybe it won't be long now!


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## Bruce (Apr 12, 2019)

Lots of babies coming soon!


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## Wehner Homestead (Apr 17, 2019)




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## luvmypets (Apr 18, 2019)

All three girls have milk, swollen ends, and pissy behavior. Plus tomorrow its supposed to storm, and its the full moon.


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## SA Farm (Apr 18, 2019)

Perfect time for babies then!


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## luvmypets (Apr 18, 2019)

Pics for anyone interested. Jolly was very rude to the other ladies today. 

Look how full their bags are, especially Opal.


 

Jolly 





 
This mama is ready! 

Opal’s milk line is super tight, she has a solid stream of milk coming. When the girls get like this its go time.


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## Baymule (Apr 18, 2019)

Piglet countdown!


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## luvmypets (Apr 19, 2019)

Opal farrowed! We arrived at the barn later than I wanted too around 12 PM. When I went out to give the girls fresh bedding I immediatly knew something was up as Opal wasn’t at the front of the maternity pen waiting for food. I rushed over and saw Opal standing in the corner with three babes next to her. I jumped into the pen to investigate further and found two more babies that were dead. Except when I went closer I realized one of them was still hanging in. The little one was shivering violently and was on its side stiff like stone. My instincts kicked in a I immediatly started rubbing him down and let me tell you when he(i checked the gender) screamed..I have never heard a piglet scream so loud and with so much vigor. I knew then that he was a fighter. I rubbed him down for about 5 minutes before trying to get him to latch on. It was a no go, he was too weak, he barely had a suck reflex at all.. Ok so now I have a weak piglet, needs colostrum, cant latch what can I do. I immediatly wrap him in my shirt(which i was still wearing) and rush him into the barn. I grab a plastic tub as well as any kind of fabric I could find and set up a warming bin with one of our heat lamps. I kept him in there for about forty minutes checking on him frequently before I decided he was ready to go back to mum. Thats all it took because when I went into the farrowing shed and put him back he was fighting amoungst his siblings at the milk bar. He has latched on a few times now, with some pretty funny attempts in between. Opal loves her babies and is a phenomenal mum. She is passing the placenta now so I think she is done.

This is the little guy trying to figure out nursing.




Can you tell he’s a proud farmer?




Look at her..just like her mama Priss. She knows exactly what to do!


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## frustratedearthmother (Apr 19, 2019)

That's awesome - congrats on the new piggies!!


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## luvmypets (Apr 19, 2019)

Kinda frustrated I went through so much to bring the little guy back. Then he got stepped on. He is still alive but im not optimistic.


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## Bruce (Apr 19, 2019)




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## SA Farm (Apr 19, 2019)

Aw, poor guy  
I hope he beats the odds


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## Wehner Homestead (Apr 19, 2019)

Not fun!  he pulls through. At least you’ll know you at least gave him a chance when he didn’t have one.


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## Baymule (Apr 19, 2019)

Poor little guy, I hope he survives.


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## luvmypets (Apr 19, 2019)

He was panting hard and unable to nurse when I left. He was just laying there with his siblings.


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## Wehner Homestead (Apr 20, 2019)




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## luvmypets (Apr 20, 2019)

Jolly delivered sometime between last night and this afternoon. Five little babes 3 swallows and two blondes. 3 gilts two boars. 

The little boar from last night is still hanging in.


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## Baymule (Apr 20, 2019)

They are so stinking cute! Love the racing stripes! Hope the little boar keeps hanging on, he is a toughie.


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## luvmypets (Apr 20, 2019)

Sadly I just finished burying the little guy. I held him to his last breath. I knew it wasn’t meant to be. Opal knew too, as he was going she kept coming over and sniffing him. I gave him a little grave under my special ash tree.


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## SA Farm (Apr 20, 2019)

Sorry he didn’t make it


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## frustratedearthmother (Apr 20, 2019)

So sorry...


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## Wehner Homestead (Apr 20, 2019)

So sorry for your loss!


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## Wehner Homestead (Apr 20, 2019)

Does there seem to be a preference for blondes over swallows?


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## Bruce (Apr 20, 2019)




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## Baymule (Apr 20, 2019)

It's always hard to lose babies. I hold my lambs until their last breath. I get it. Sorry you lost him.


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## luvmypets (Apr 20, 2019)

Thank you all for your kind words, truly 

Rayla farrowed tonight, she is exhausted and I pulled my first baby. It sounds strange but its something Ive always wanted to do. Anyways im exhausted but I will update later dont worry!


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## luvmypets (Apr 23, 2019)

Rayla started going into labor late Saturday afternoon. She got very pissy and pushed Opal and her brood out of their corner so she could have the entire space to herself for nesting. Opal’s babes got pushed into an area with barely any straw. So I gave them some more only for Rayla to steal it for her nest. Rayla spent about 1.5 hours on her nest, before she started laying down and getting up, trying to get as comfy as possible. Pushing started around 7 PM and after I saw the first bloody discharge the first piglet arrived a little after an hour. The second piglet arrived shortly after. The two piglets were both gilts and very large at that. I knew however that there was at least one more baby in there. She started pushing the third piglet about a half hour later, and so me and my dad waited. It was getting late at this point and my dad was getting cranky but something told me to wait for this baby. He kept telling me “its time to go” but I refused to move. Eventually the battery for the light in the farrowing shed went out so I had to get a flashlight. At this point my dad had gone to wait in the truck and  I was starting to get worried as it had been about 40 minutes of hard pushing with no baby. See Im a very anxious person and I overanalyze every detail but my gut was telling me I needed to see what was going on. I used my hands to open her vulva as far as I could and I shined the flashlight to see what we were dealing with. I saw a tongue and a nose and I immediatly knew that this was one big baby! I held her vulva like this for about 10 minutes watching on each push to see if the baby was moving down at all. It wasn’t and I knew that Rayla needed help. It was about 10 PM at this point and I ran out to my dad to inform him of my discovery. He actually started his truck when he saw me only to realize I was headed straight back out. I grabbed a bottle of iodine and a glove from out medicine cabinet and I headed back out to Rayla. I lubed up and went in to feel what was going on. They often say dont go in if you are inexperienced but at this point I have read hundreds of articles and watched dozens of videos on assisting delivery. I was afraid as I didn’t want to mess up but I also knew this baby wasnt going to get out alive on its own. I knew I had to be firm but also gentle. The baby was in the birth canal so I really didn’t go that far only up to my wrist. I could feel the piglets head was past the pelvis but the shoulders weren’t. I could also feel the baby was alive as it periodically opened its mouth and wiggled its tongue. When I went in it stimulated Rayla to push, which was good as she was very tired at this point. I cupped my hand over the top of the babies head and pulled it from behind the jaw. Rayla pushed as hard as she could and I pulled but the baby wasn’t moving. It was jammed in there and I’ll admit at one point I got discouraged. Me and Rayla worked together for about 10 minutes before finally the shoulders come through and we got the baby out(more like it flew out). The relief from Rayla was instant. She had been pushing for so long that the placenta shot out right behind the baby. The baby was a boy, alive but definitely not ok. He was panting just like the lil guy we ended up losing and he was very weak. I rubbed his sides down with straw and sweeped his mouth for any fluid. I placed him at the teats to see how he was fairing, lethargic, head down, and panting hard. No way was I losing this little guy. I supported his torso and help him upside down because I realized he had most likely swallowed fluids during the labor. After a few swings I noticed his panting dimming down. I kept this up for a few minutes before seeing if I could get him to nurse, he was still weak. I continued swinging him and eventually drops of liquid came pouring out of his mouth. So much so I could feel it soak through my pants leg. I put him to nurse and he was trying, however he was still panting. I swung him about 5-6 more times even shaking him at one point to get the fluid out. And finally he stopped panting and was trying to move around and nurse. I knew then that I could go home. I think I stayed awake for dinner and that was it, I was out after that. 

Here is the lil troublemaker in all his glory 


 


All mommas are doing amazing, all the babies are mixed in now and the girls take turns nursing them. 





 

Piglluminati 






 

Little red investigating 


 

I also wanted to say that there were exactly 13 babies born between the three girls, even though we lost two. This was the exact number of babies we lost in the winter time. We feel truly blessed with these little ones.


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## luvmypets (Apr 23, 2019)

Wehner Homestead said:


> Does there seem to be a preference for blondes over swallows?


Hm what do you mean? By us? Or the sows?


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## B&B Happy goats (Apr 23, 2019)

Congratulations  on a job well done and keeping your cool !


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## Bruce (Apr 23, 2019)

luvmypets said:


> Rayla started going into labor late Saturday afternoon.


EVERYTHING to like about that post!


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## Baymule (Apr 23, 2019)

I bet your Dad was glad that you insisted on staying. Y'all would have lost the piglet and Rayla too. Good job on saving BOTH of them!


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## luvmypets (Apr 25, 2019)

Guys i have some crazy news. Im in shock about it myself. My little baby Lucy was hiding a pregnancy, but today as I gave her some well deserved rubs, I saw/felt babies moving. If she takes after her sisters, it should be about 3 wks before she farrows. Im nervous because she is my baby, but she is a big girl now.


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## Baymule (Apr 25, 2019)

More babies!


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## promiseacres (Apr 25, 2019)

Beautiful piglets!


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## Bruce (Apr 25, 2019)

Why that little hussie!


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## luvmypets (May 30, 2019)

So last week I left for a few days on a trip to the NJ FFA convention. I was gone Weds-Fri, and I told Lucy she better wait until I get home to have her babies. Well in typical Lucy fashion she didn’t listen and Friday afternoon when I returned from my trip my mom let me know that there was some drama at the farm. Lucy had farrowed Thursday night and when Erik(family friend) came to the barn Friday morning things were not looking good. So my dad met Erik about two months ago, as he bought a few pigs from us. They quickly became best friends and now Erik is doing everything in his power to help me keep our farm going. Erik told me that when he arrived Lucy was plopped in the worst spot and that he was only to save 2/7 babies. I couldn’t believe she was hiding 7 little ones. He told me he performed mini CPR on the piglet with lighter stripes so he naturally got naming rights. The other piglet needed to be stimulated but was much stronger than the other one. However the drama wasn’t over yet because Lulu was being a straight up jerk to her little ones. Erik pulled them and waited for me to return home to see if I could get her to accept them. The first thing I did was get Lucy out into the grass because its a very stress relieving behavior for her. I could immediately tell she was stressed out beyond belief. She didn’t even want to get up at first but I coaxed her out with an apple. Once I got her in the field I tested her reaction to the babies. It was not good and when they got close to her, especially near her face she would lash out at them. I knew my best bet was to get her to lay down for belly rubs and get the babies to latch on. I did this for over an hour before deciding on moving her into the barn. The good news was she let them nurse and even talked to them. Bad news is that once she got up she got aggressive with them again. I was exhausted from my trip and after talking to another farmer and doing my own research I decided to separate the babies for two hours as they would need to nurse again. So I went home, took a nap, and hoped that the time apart would let Lucy calm down. I put the babies back in with her that night and she was much better tempered but still not in “mommy” mode. That night I made the decision to leave them with her and prayed for the best. I got up extra early to check and when I checked on them not only did I find the babies safe and sound, they were all cuddled up next to Lucy. And minutes later I found her nursing her wee little ones on her own. She has been doing amazing with them and they are such lil cuties

This was before she had accepted them, 



 

Such a good Luce, she had accepted her babies at this point. 


 


 


 



 

Prissy farrowed tuesday evening. I had, had a long day and was going to check on her. She already had three babes on the ground and was in hard labor. I did get concerned at one point as it took over an hour for piglet #4 to arrive, however I believe my arrival caused her to stall her labor. Priss let me in the stall to pet her and help clean off noses and clear out mouths. I left at 9pm and she had nine dry and nursing. She had also passed a small placenta. But just like her first litter she snuck two more babies and so she had 11. One did die, not sure how but the rest are doing phenomenal.


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## frustratedearthmother (May 30, 2019)

Go Prissy!  She's being a good mama.  Sorry Lucy got off to a slow start - but great that she came around!


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## B&B Happy goats (May 30, 2019)

Happy that your pigs are doing better and that you have Eric around for some support and help when needed


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## Bruce (May 30, 2019)

All in all pretty good news, sorry Lucy lost 5 but you did a great job getting her to accept the other two.
I am SO glad Erik is there and wants to help keep the farm going. Perhaps he can be a formal partner in the business.

How was the FFA meeting?


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## Baymule (May 30, 2019)

You did good in getting Lucy to accept her babies. That's what we do, pull out all the stops to save lives. Yay for Priss! She is one awesome momma!


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## luvmypets (May 31, 2019)

Lulu and her girls



 



 



 


 


 


 

Lucy and her daughter Levy


 

Bolero and the others were very curious what the small gray creatures were moving about in their pasture


 

Lucy loving her life and rolling in the pond. 


 




Prissy being protective as always, so sadly I wasn't allowed very close. I managed to move her out for a bit so I could say hi to the babies. I checked the genders of her babies 8 gilts and 2 boarlings.


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## Baymule (Jun 1, 2019)

10 is a good sized litter. Is this Lucy's first litter


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## luvmypets (Jun 1, 2019)

Baymule said:


> 10 is a good sized litter. Is this Lucy's first litter


Yeah.


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## B&B Happy goats (Jun 1, 2019)

POW photos for sure....they are adorable


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## luvmypets (Jun 2, 2019)

Priss and her brood


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## CntryBoy777 (Jun 2, 2019)

They sure are Cute little piggies!!....I know ya sure have your hands full tending to all the animals.....


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## Bruce (Jun 3, 2019)

They all look very healthy and Priss being a second time mama knows her job.


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## luvmypets (Jun 3, 2019)

Bruce said:


> They all look very healthy and Priss being a second time mama knows her job.


3rd time actually


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## B&B Happy goats (Jun 3, 2019)

Your doing better than you thought, great job


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## luvmypets (Jun 3, 2019)

B&B Happy goats said:


> Your doing better than you thought, great job


Trying my best. The one thing I know about dealing with depression is that getting out to my animals is the best thing for my health. Some days are better than others but things are starting to feel semi-normal again.


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## B&B Happy goats (Jun 3, 2019)

luvmypets said:


> Trying my best. The one thing I know about dealing with depression is that getting out to my animals is the best thing for my health. Some days are better than others but things are starting to feel semi-normal again.



You will find as life moves on., you are stronger than you thought you could ever be...........your a  AWESOME PERSON !...., don't  let life get you down ...keep moving forward and hug your critters often (they like it ) .....


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## Bruce (Jun 3, 2019)

luvmypets said:


> Trying my best. The one thing I know about dealing with depression is that getting out to my animals is the best thing for my health. Some days are better than others but things are starting to feel semi-normal again.


Keep on pushing through, hug a pig or an alpaca or whatever. 



luvmypets said:


> 3rd time actually


Oops, I will blame it on advancing age and forgetfulness


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## Baymule (Jun 3, 2019)

luvmypets said:


> Trying my best. The one thing I know about dealing with depression is that getting out to my animals is the best thing for my health. Some days are better than others but things are starting to feel semi-normal again.


The barn is a good place to be.


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## luvmypets (Jun 6, 2019)

Calli has milk as of tuesday evening, we shall be seeing babies soon. Praying for a healthy viable litter.


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## frustratedearthmother (Jun 6, 2019)

Hope the farrowing goes well and that she has lots of lively little ones!


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## B&B Happy goats (Jun 6, 2019)

Lots of healthy piglets please.


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## CntryBoy777 (Jun 6, 2019)

She looks like her "world" is upside down.....and even a little "side-ways".............guess she is ready to "release" the darlings, too!!.....


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## Baymule (Jun 6, 2019)

Hope she has a good litter, soon!


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## luvmypets (Jun 9, 2019)

So proud of this beautiful girl. She did it ! She isnt done yet so I will update fully when she is.


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## frustratedearthmother (Jun 9, 2019)

Yippeeeee!  More babies - congrats!


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## Baymule (Jun 9, 2019)

I counted 8!


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## CntryBoy777 (Jun 9, 2019)

..............


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## luvmypets (Jun 10, 2019)

Beautiful Callie finished with eight little ones, all boys except one. My brother had already taken care of the animals yesterday AM, giving me the opportunity to sleep in. I went over to the barn around noon and I immediatly knew Callie was up to something. I saw her laying down at the top of the pen where I had put some straw several days earlier, as I wanted to make sure she had materials to nest with. As I was trying to determine what she was up to, I swore I saw something gray moving in the straw. I ran up to where she was and I was greeted by eight new little ones. Callie was still in labor so I stayed with her. Eventually me and my mom had to make a run for pig food, so I let her be. On returning home I found she had passed a huge placenta, and was happily nursing her babes. Callie and her brood stayed in the upper field until it was dark, then I managed to move  them into the barn. It was a pain in the ass but knowing her babes, which she worked so hard for are safe in the barn, lets me rest easy. Its amazing how gentle she is with them, its exactly what we look for in a sow!







 

This little guy is so tiny! That doesnt stop him tho !


 

Callie had a post labor cool down, I dont think she realizes how large she is.


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## B&B Happy goats (Jun 10, 2019)

You get some of the best pictures captured, congradulatios  on your new bundle  of piggies


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## Baymule (Jun 10, 2019)

Your baby pigs are so cute, all striped and silvery. Beautiful litter and what a great mom, Callie!

I was going to town last week when I saw something moving on the side of the narrow county road up ahead. I slowed down. There in the creek bottom, in dense forest, was a litter of feral pigs. No mom around, probably just weaned and on their own, contentedly rooting around in the forest floor. They still had their stripes. I just watched them until they moved out of sight, which wasn't long in the thick underbrush. I thought about you and your striped babies. 

One morning we saw a litter of pigs in a field that had definite Hampshire markings. Someone's Hampshire must've gotten loose and mingled with the feral hogs. 

Feral hogs are a problem here, it's open season on them, shoot anytime as many as you can. Some people harvest their family meat on feral hogs. Why not? it's free and tastes better than the tasteless "other white meat" sold in stores.


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## Bruce (Jun 10, 2019)

luvmypets said:


>


Another POW entry!


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## luvmypets (Jun 15, 2019)

I got a new phone, schools out, and a beautiful morning. You all know what that means  

I let Lucy, her girls as well as Prissy, her brood and Calli out into the run to enjoy the sunshine, roll in the pond and forage.

I look atrocious and I hate myself for making a duck face but Calli is owning the shot so it makes up for it. 






 

Curious little ones




Prissy as always is being the mum of the year for her babes but bullying everyone else which tells me shes in heat.


 

Passed out as soon as they are inside from playing




Yes Lu you are a good mum. Also that is blue kote on the piglet as her babes look very similar to prissys with the only difference being size.


 

Although these little ones weren’t ready to go out yet they patiently waited for mum to return so they could chow down.


 

These guys are a week tomorrow


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## B&B Happy goats (Jun 15, 2019)

I always enjoy your photos


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## Baymule (Jun 15, 2019)

Love the duck face picture, complete with close up of the mud ball boogers up a pig snout. adorable babies, as always.


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## Bruce (Jun 17, 2019)

Piggies are looking good LMP!


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## luvmypets (Oct 5, 2019)

Lil Red


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## luvmypets (Oct 5, 2019)

Lil Red refused her dinner, chugged all her water, and has some very intense nesting. Gonna sit with her for a bit and watch her.


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## luvmypets (Oct 5, 2019)

Its go time, i got my blankets and Im ready!

Annnd she just dripped something all over me..pig life amiright

Her milk is coming in hot, i checked her a this afternoon and nothing. But now she is ready.


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## frustratedearthmother (Oct 5, 2019)

Awesome - can't wait to see what she delivers!  You're an awesome pig sitter.


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## luvmypets (Oct 6, 2019)

Eight total im home now but i think shes done just needs to pass the placenta


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## Bruce (Oct 6, 2019)

That went quickly! Another batch of cute striped babies. I hope you got some sleep after.


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## frustratedearthmother (Oct 6, 2019)

Very nice!


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## luvmypets (Oct 6, 2019)

All of them are good this AM. I was a bit worried about red as she wouldn't get up when i first got here. Turns out she was just being lazy, and got right up to eat her breakfast and drink some water. She is doing great and has all the mommy behaviors I like to see.


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## Bruce (Oct 6, 2019)

That's great! I suppose she deserved a little rest after delivering all those babies.


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## AmberLops (Oct 6, 2019)

Congratulations!!! They're adorable with those little stripes


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## Baymule (Oct 6, 2019)

Congrats on the babies! They are so stinkin' cute!


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## CntryBoy777 (Oct 6, 2019)

I agree with everybody, they are real Cuties and Adorable!!.....they just put a smile on ypur face just staring at a pic of them....


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## luvmypets (Oct 20, 2019)

Well one of my gilts was supposed to go for processing but she never did. And then I noticed she was pregnant. I assumed the babes were from one of her brothers because well, She was in with them until a few months ago. However upon the first baby being born I realized that these were not inbred and were from my breeding boar Atlas. See the mother is a swallow belly which when bred to another swallow(her brother) will produce 100% swallow. But the first piglet born was a blonde which can only happen if the sire is blonde. When a swallow and blond have babies there will be a mix of the two. Unless of course your boar has such a dominant blonde gene that he overrides the swallow one, the same thing happened with Prissy’s litter. Needless to say I was a bit dumbfounded when the first baby born was blonde. She did great and had five lil babes.



 


 


 



 

Post-labor chow down


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## Bruce (Oct 20, 2019)

I guess she and Atlas went on a date without your permission 
Congrats on the new babes.


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## Baymule (Oct 20, 2019)

Genetics is an interesting study. I'd say name one Whosyerdaddy, but you already figured it out. Those are some cutie little stripers!


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## luvmypets (Oct 28, 2019)

Baymule said:


> Genetics is an interesting study. I'd say name one Whosyerdaddy, but you already figured it out. Those are some cutie little stripers!


I did a simple genetics study on Mangalitsa colors a while back and the more I have bred the pigs the more Ive learned one color + other color = more colors. I only have one blond boar so it was pretty easy. Plus the full silver litter was a dead give away.


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## luvmypets (Oct 28, 2019)

One week old and feeling fine. The newest babes are doing great living outside in the smaller pig run. I am also experimenting and letting the boar have access to them. I’m doing this for several reasons but mainly because I needed a shelter for the mama and she is already bonded to the boar as well as the other sow in the pen. Atlas is a very good Daddy and will go over to sniff his babes before doing his other tasks. The only issue Ive had with him is that he will steal all the fresh straw and make a throne for himself. 
So its interesting as Ive never seen this sow nurse her babies. I think that although she is friendlier since the birth she is still wary of humans. Regardless I know these babes are happy and healthy and definitely eating by how they act. 


 

Still not sure of me, just like their mama 






 

big boy Atlas next to his baby Atlas’s


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## Baymule (Oct 28, 2019)

I like your experiment. Feral hogs run together in a group, why not tame hogs? Atlas is proving that it can be done. Of course not all boars are friendly to piglets and might see them as a snack, but you know your pigs and know who to trust. 

I love your baby piglet pictures. I’m glad you get to spend time with them, that is good for the soul.


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## frustratedearthmother (Oct 28, 2019)

My boars are very tolerant of babies.  They sleep all jumbled up in a pile when it's cold!


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## AmberLops (Oct 28, 2019)

They're so adorable! I want one


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## luvmypets (Oct 29, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> They're so adorable! I want one


My offer still stands if you’re willing to pick them up


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## AmberLops (Oct 29, 2019)

luvmypets said:


> My offer still stands if you’re willing to pick them up


Thank you! I definitely want a piglet! Just have to get everything set up for it then i'll be sending you a message


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## Baymule (Nov 1, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> Thank you! I definitely want a piglet! Just have to get everything set up for it then i'll be sending you a message


You want a piglet for what? A pet or dinner? 🥓


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## AmberLops (Nov 1, 2019)

Baymule said:


> You want a piglet for what? A pet or dinner? 🥓


A pet! I'd get too attached to a piglet for it to be dinner! 🐷
Especially a curly haired pig...too cute to be eaten ha ha!


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## Baymule (Nov 3, 2019)

You do know they never really stop growing, right? That's why we bought and later slaughtered Wilbur, the 820 pound boar, he just got too big. What will you do with a 1,000 pound pet that can roll your car over? Wilbur was such a dear, that I started to feel bad with our plans to make him dinner (and breakfast and lunch and snacks and leftovers) and I totally understood why his Mommy couldn't eat him. Honestly, if I had unlimited acreage, I might have been tempted to just turn him out. It would have been like turning loose a destructo tank with an Artificial Intellegence brain, capable of anything, so maybe that would have been a bad idea.


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## AmberLops (Nov 3, 2019)

Baymule said:


> You do know they never really stop growing, right? That's why we bought and later slaughtered Wilbur, the 820 pound boar, he just got too big. What will you do with a 1,000 pound pet that can roll your car over? Wilbur was such a dear, that I started to feel bad with our plans to make him dinner (and breakfast and lunch and snacks and leftovers) and I totally understood why his Mommy couldn't eat him. Honestly, if I had unlimited acreage, I might have been tempted to just turn him out. It would have been like turning loose a destructo tank with an Artificial Intellegence brain, capable of anything, so maybe that would have been a bad idea.


True...
I have a soft spot for pigs, not sure why but I just love them! I've been wanting to raise Julianas for a while now...that'll happen soon i hope.
I'm not a pork eater so if i were to butcher it, it would go to my neighbors. Or i could just give it a huge piece of land and let it be ? Not sure what i want to do yet...but i know i want a curly-coated piglet


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## Baymule (Nov 4, 2019)

Maybe you should stick with the Julianas. They are cute and small. A curly coated piglet is cute, but won't be small for long!  On the other hand, it might convert you to eating pork. 🥓​


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## luvmypets (Nov 15, 2019)

Im going to go on a rant because this week has been ****. One of the calves passed on tuesday. Then the next morning jolly birthed 7 piglets, but only four were viable. I noticed immediatly the new babes werent nursing properly and I spent that evening trying to separate her from the rest of the herd as Jolly thought the older piglets were hers and she was catering to them completely ignoring her newborns. Of course she managed to break out of her pen and only two piglets were alive by the morning. Desparate i rushed the remaining two home where I tried so damn hard to save them. I spent hours trying everything I could think of to bring them back but it just didnt work. They passed last night. Didn’t help yesterday was six months since my dad died. Its just been a weird past few days. However in the middle of a very needed mental breakdown I saw a shooting star..so that means something I guess.


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## B&B Happy goats (Nov 15, 2019)




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## frustratedearthmother (Nov 15, 2019)




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## promiseacres (Nov 15, 2019)




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## Bruce (Nov 15, 2019)

I'm so sorry LMP! You don't need such problems


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## AmberLops (Nov 15, 2019)

I'm sorry


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## Baymule (Nov 17, 2019)

That sucks. Why do the animals that we love so much have to be so darn stupid sometimes?   If that was a litter of feral hogs that nobody wanted and everybody wanted to shoot them, they would be thriving.


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## luvmypets (Dec 23, 2019)

Things have been hectic. Past three days ive had three litters.
And princess Lu is in labor right now.


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## Bruce (Dec 23, 2019)

You must be exhausted! How are all the piggies doing?


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## luvmypets (Dec 23, 2019)

The ones that made it are doing great. I lost quite a few though.
Checked on lu during my dinner break at work, she had nine


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## Baymule (Dec 23, 2019)

That is a beautiful litter of piggies!


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## frustratedearthmother (Dec 23, 2019)

They are gorgeous!  Nine is good - how many did she lose?


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## Bruce (Dec 24, 2019)

I'm sorry you lost some, were they just weak or is something else going on?


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## luvmypets (Dec 24, 2019)

Alright so, final count between four litters is 19 alive. Let me explain.

So Callie started showing earlier last week, she gave birth while I was at work on Friday night. I went to check up on her cause ya girl had a hunch something was up. So she gave birth in the shelter with the other pigs which caused 3 of the babes to be crushed. However there were 3 alive which i scooped up and moved into the barn. Next morning all three were dead, chilled I believe idek and one new baby who was ok. So out of seven Callie had one survive.

The next day before work I set up a very makeshift shelter because I was hoping Prissy would use it.




The whole day she was acting very mellow and had her milk in some so I knew it would be soon. The next morning I arrived to a brood of nine babies. She had carried 13, two crawled away and two were very underdeveloped. One disappeared on the first night so she was left with eight. 

Yesterday morning a young gilt who just started showing like two days ago gave birth to a single baby boy. And Lu went into labor in the afternoon. I had to leave her around 2 to get ready for work and at that point she had five of her own plus the little boar from Mavis as Mae had no interest in her baby. On my dinner break I checked to see Lu had nine of her own and had passed the afterbirth. Mavis later decided she would co-raise the babes w/ Lucy so thats what they are doing now. All ten made it through the first night

Lu nursing as Mavis is on guard




the babes were loving the sun today, even Prissy’s brood have gone to bask in the rays. You can see Mavis and Lu watching over their babes. And Prissy  is watching from behind the pallet.



Lu in early labor watching over Mae’s lil boy



Prissy’s brood taking a sunbathing intermission to get some milk.


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## Bruce (Dec 24, 2019)

luvmypets said:


> You can see Mavis and Lu watching over their babes


Watching over? They look like they are dead asleep!

The surviving ones look good, really sorry about Callie's that is rough.


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## AmberLops (Dec 27, 2019)

Those babies are beautiful! Congratulations


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## Bruce (Dec 27, 2019)

Amber you live!!!!!!! Maybe you've not noticed but we've been worried by your absence.


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## AmberLops (Dec 27, 2019)

Bruce said:


> Amber you live!!!!!!! Maybe you've not noticed but we've been worried by your absence.


I know, and i'm sorry! Things have been rough around here 
I'll try to update more often.


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## Smerlo0417 (Jan 30, 2020)

luvmypets said:


> We recently purchased two new gilts off of a couple in NY. They are both bred, with one of them being 100% confirmed by their vet. They said the vet was unsure on the second girl, however, they got them scanned very early on and these girls are quite fat, even for the breed which is a naturally fat pig. They also said that they did not behave during scanning. Both girls are getting pretty big, and if their owners got the breeding date right the first girl will be due Feb 26. But we all know how due dates go, so I will be keeping a close eye on both of them, most likely I will move them in the barn a week prior. We also bought the sire, he is a very friendly boar we named Atlas.
> 
> Our main sow Priss is taking a break so she can put weight back on. She blessed us with 19 beautiful piglets from two separate litters in 2018 and it has really taken a toll on her. She gives everything to her babies, which is a desirable trait in a sow, however, she needs to put some weight on before we breed her again.
> 
> ...


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## Smerlo0417 (Jan 30, 2020)

luvmypets said:


> We recently purchased two new gilts off of a couple in NY. They are both bred, with one of them being 100% confirmed by their vet. They said the vet was unsure on the second girl, however, they got them scanned very early on and these girls are quite fat, even for the breed which is a naturally fat pig. They also said that they did not behave during scanning. Both girls are getting pretty big, and if their owners got the breeding date right the first girl will be due Feb 26. But we all know how due dates go, so I will be keeping a close eye on both of them, most likely I will move them in the barn a week prior. We also bought the sire, he is a very friendly boar we named Atlas.
> 
> Our main sow Priss is taking a break so she can put weight back on. She blessed us with 19 beautiful piglets from two separate litters in 2018 and it has really taken a toll on her. She gives everything to her babies, which is a desirable trait in a sow, however, she needs to put some weight on before we breed her again.
> 
> ...


They are adorable! They look kind of like Muppets. I wish you luck with the farrowings. Keep us posted.


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