handling piglets around sow

[elbesta]

Betty my sow is good with people but now she is getting very protective of her piglets. I can be in the farrowing pen with her and rub her belly but I went to move a piglet and had to climb over the railing to keep from being trapped in the corner. I'm a fat man and don't like to climb anything. I had a farrowing crate in there but I took it out because she did not like being in it and got mean when I closed the door behind her. Ever hear a pig growl like a big dog. Will I need to put her out side to do anything with the piglets? Any ideas?

 

[jk47]

Dont know how much help I will be since I dont breed livestock
But I do know livestock can get pretty aggressive when they have young if she isent use to the crate
Is there any other way of restrainting her when your in their

 

[elbesta]

Anyone that can come up with a way to restrain a 400 + lb pig without hurting them I would love to hear it. She is the boss around the other pigs even the boar and he has a 100 lbs on her.

 

[jk47]

I most of miss wrote because your right theres now way to handle a sow thats easy I remember once a buddy of mines sow got out a decide to go lay down in the mud took us better half of the day trying to get her back into her pen but it sound like the sow needs to go into the crate or be locked outside for you to be able to work with the piglets I agree with you fat guys and fences or rails dont mix very will when trying to get out fast

 

[elbesta]

I did it, opened the door sow went right out, closed and bolted the door behind her. Castrated 6 piglets and she was ramming the door. The friend that helped rubbed iodine on the sows nose so she would not smell the iodine on the piglets. When we let her back in she counted her piglets, dumped her water and then laid down and let them eat.