# Questions



## Theykeepmebusy (Jun 14, 2011)

I now own a pig.....previous owner's husband got her for mother's day, was not what she wanted, she has been in with a boar up until mother's day, no one knows her age, all I know is she's a very friendly girl, lived with chickens,ducks,cats, and goats. All animals are being sold due to income decrease, so I bought her. Now that she's comfy and cool. I have some questions. 

How can I tell if she is expecting?

Is there a way to tell her age?

Is she a pot belly ? 

And what is this crate talk ?


Why is she so awesomely friendly ? 

 Here's Princess Piggy. I am looking for any and all advice. 













Oh!!! And the owner has been feeding all their livestock bread, because they can get it for $2.50 a big black trash bag full.........What do I need to know to get her into good health? I know she's a pig, but my kids really like her and so do I.  she's cute!!!


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## Royd Wood (Jun 15, 2011)

Looks like a pot
Some pig breeds are friendly but some breeds will kill you
Crates ???? - cage / fence / pen
We have Large Blacks these days but used to have 2 full size boy pots with tusks and tackle. They were super friendly.
Looks like she's got a good home there with you and dont be suprised if she tucks into Turkey supper one night (our pots snacked on a couple of chickens and a duck)


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## Theykeepmebusy (Jun 15, 2011)

Yea, I'm in the fixings of them getting in there and building out her pen, been working on it all day, I would rather her not munch down on the turkeys,ducks or chickens. She is super friendly, and I have read/heard of those people killers. I ask about the crate, because she may be pregnant, was in with the boar until day before Mother's day, I have no idea how to tell if she is pregnant. I can compare her area to an expecting goats and it is very swollen and "open", but I don't know anything about all that going on with a pig, I did read they are to be in a crate, when/while they have their babies? I would rather not put her in a crate, but if it's safer for the piglets, then I guess that is the way to go.  She's very cooperative, kind of like a dog. Cracks me up, tell her to sit, she sits and starts talking to you. Tell her to get in her pool, she will go and lay in it. Never thought a pig would be a better listener than my kids. Never thought I would have a pet pig, wanted one for meat.


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## currycomb (Jun 15, 2011)

welcome to potbellie ownership! i had one, bred her, had 12 raised 10 (squished 2). that is where the crate comes in. while she is in labor, it gives the babies a place to go to get warm and not be squished by a restless sow. they are smarter than a dog (really). fed her a cheap dog food (cheaper than pot bellie pig food, and they do not need much to thrive). i had mine for 17 years. (3 moves to new homes. biggest problem was getting her up the ramp into the trailer. showed her her new bed, and she was happy)


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## Theykeepmebusy (Jun 15, 2011)

Sooo....how crazy is she going to get, if I'm in there putting her babies in a crate?  Or will she be in labor la'la land ? I'm sorry for all the questions, I'm trying to cram in as much possible, I do not want to tee her off. EVER.  Hope I don't drive you guys nuts with questions.


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## aggieterpkatie (Jun 16, 2011)

Are you thinking crate as in dog crate?  Farrowing crates are just small pens with "bumpers" on the sides so the piglets can get away from the sow so she won't lay on them.  Commercial farrowing crates are so small the sow can only get up and lay down, not turn around.  

If you're worried about her laying on her piglets, you can block off a corner of the pen and leave a gap at the bottom so piglets can scoot under.  You can also put a heat lamp in this corner because piglets like it warm and sows like it cooler.


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## Theykeepmebusy (Jun 17, 2011)

That is what I'm talking about!! I searched and read about the heat lamp and blocking of a small area, I am going to go that way, I think she's going to have them soon, just in the 2 days she's been here, she's gone threw some fast changes. Today she didn't want anything to do with me, but she still sat and talked.  Got her set up in a new pen to where her babies can't get out and I'm going to start on making her a yard area.  Today I was side tracked, somebody out here has 12 piglets running loose and their responsible way of handling it was going by all the houses and saying you can have how ever many you catch!!!! So of course half my neighbors are running around catching piglets, CRAZY!!!! 3 have been caught today by me and one neighbor for my neighbor, they are elderly and yea it was pretty stupid, but I went and ran in the pastures and caught them some piglets. 109 degree weather WWWOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOO !!!!!! I'm not helping tomorrow and I called animal control to let them know about these responsible pig owners......did not see them out here at all.   I fear some are not going to be caught and then we will have "wild" pigs?


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## dkluzier (Jul 7, 2011)

We use a goat milking stand for the piglets to crawl under to get away from momma.  It's metal and sturdy.

BTW - we have a Large Black Hog sow names Princess Peggy


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## MikahMom (Jul 7, 2011)

Pretty piggy 

We built our own wooden "old time" farrowing house for our Yorkshire.  She has plenty of room to turn around.  Since she had her piglets three weeks ago, the only time she uses it is when it rains - then she and her 10 offspring hop in to keep dry lol  


Good luck with Princess and keep us posted 


MikahMom


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## Theykeepmebusy (Jul 8, 2011)

Thank you. My dh thinks I am CRAZY, because I love her and think she is pretty,cute and awesome. I love her !!! The last couple of days she has barked at me,when I go in, so I am respecting her and just talking to her threw the pen. Her belly has ballooned out some, but her teats? are still the same form. I looked up ideas on the piglet issues, and I made a low shelter, she can not get in and have the heat lamp to where she can not get to it. I'm really excited and scared. Just trying to be patient. I spend maybe a little to much time out there talking and visiting with her, but I worry she isn't going to trust me when her piglets get here and it will be difficult at feeding and watering time.


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## elevan (Jul 8, 2011)

Looks like a pot to me 
I would have said slightly overweight, but seeing as how it sounds that she's expecting...I wouldn't want to hurt her feelings 

You definitely need to be cautious when they bark at you...kind of sounds like a ho-ho to me...because they'll often follow that with a quick snap.  The teeth on a sow are still pretty sharp and give a nasty cut.  And since you don't know her full history (as in you haven't raised her from piglet) even though she seems sweet be cautious.
Carrying a cane or branch with you can help you block a snap or push her back if need be.  Don't ever strike with it.  Sort of an improvised pig sorting paddle.  I prefer the metal cane as I had a boar snap a branch in 2...but then he was intent on taking a piece out of me.

If you're concerned that you won't be able to work with her enough before she gives birth then I would advise setting the situation up so that you can feed and water from outside of wherever you have her.


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## Theykeepmebusy (Aug 7, 2011)

I'm beginning to think she isn't preggers.......tick..tock...tick...tock...tick...tock.....  :/, she is really cool tho, I give her a good scratching with the stick, she loves to be washed down, she lets the ducks and a couple chickens stay with her, there is one duck she will push away, she just doesn't like him, but never hurts him. I still think she's AWESOME   , if she doesn't have babies this month, I was thinking about getting another for her to have a buddy, the pbp I'm looking at is 8 months old and loves to play with dogs. Is this a good idea ? or should I let her be with her ducks and chickens?  She still loves it when I come out and talk to her, she talks back.   we snort to each other.


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## Theykeepmebusy (Aug 7, 2011)

if she is over weight is it real bad and what's the best way to take her down the diet road?  Or is it too late for her?


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Aug 7, 2011)

First off I would get her on a pelleted pig food. If she is pregnant then she will need the extra protein.  Since you don't know when she was bred she could still easily be pregnant.  Count 3 months 3 weeks and 3 days from the last day she was with the boar and that is your last possible due day.  Then add an additional 3-4 days just because they like to mess with us  L.


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## Theykeepmebusy (Aug 7, 2011)

Yes I bought her  pelleted food the day before they brought her to my place , I saw she had been living off of bread and that just didn't seem right.  I give her lots of table scraps (No meat, mostly fruit and vegetables) and she loves some alfalfa hay, she makes her happy/begging snort when I feed the goats, so I throw some in with her. I'm going to figure out her date now. Thanks.

Soooooo around August 30th......man oh man


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Aug 8, 2011)

Once the milk comes in she'll get a ridge along her belly. It will become more pronounced the closer to labor she gets. She'll also start nest building.   We had a pot belly dropped off in our yard that 36hrs later had 11 piglets. Honestly she did fine with them all and you will really probably not need to intervene.    

  Get one of those old people reachy/grabby things.  I couldn't get near her since I was a stranger to her.  Pig la la labor hormones tend to the barky bitey style rather than the come pet me style.   You can use it to snag piglets that are in trouble.  

I started out grabbing them at first but honestly except for one that came out super small and barely breathing, everybody was born healthy.


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## Theykeepmebusy (Aug 8, 2011)

SuburbanFarmChic said:
			
		

> Once the milk comes in she'll get a ridge along her belly. It will become more pronounced the closer to labor she gets. She'll also start nest building.   We had a pot belly dropped off in our yard that 36hrs later had 11 piglets. Honestly she did fine with them all and you will really probably not need to intervene.
> 
> Get one of those old people reachy/grabby things.  I couldn't get near her since I was a stranger to her.  Pig la la labor hormones tend to the barky bitey style rather than the come pet me style.   You can use it to snag piglets that are in trouble.
> 
> I started out grabbing them at first but honestly except for one that came out super small and barely breathing, everybody was born healthy.


I followed your post, I thought it was crazy someone would just drop them off, but very awesome of you to do what you did for them. I hope she is preggers and not just overweight. She seems happy right now, she does have her barky days and I stay out of her pen on those days, keep it threw the fence.


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## Theykeepmebusy (Aug 25, 2011)

We have one very open and swollen pig hoo hoo and heavy  breathing!!!!!!  Does this mean she's going very soon, or I'm waiting a few more days?      oh and she's shoved her hay all into a corner, but is laying no where near it.


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Aug 25, 2011)

The hay thing is nesting. If she's doing the deep breathing I'd say you have impending piglets.  It's the right day for it too   Our red wattle just had a surprise (to everybody but me) litter today. 


Congrats! If she barks while she's giving birth just give her some space.  One of those "old people shelf reacher grabber" things is great for reaching distressed piglets.


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## Royd Wood (Aug 25, 2011)

Red Wattle piglets - photo of the week - lets see em

They keep me busy - Good luck  soon to be mad busy


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