Heirloom
Chillin' with the herd
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2013
- Messages
- 59
- Reaction score
- 1
- Points
- 36
Hello BYH. I thought I would post a thread to show off my new venture. I have pigs!
Back in mid February my neighbor frantically asked me to look at one his gilts. He thought something was wrong with her, and thought maybe she was pregnant. I am NOT the person to be asking because I have only studied raising pigs at this point. A lot of info I had gleaned from the Chicken Thistle Farm "coopcast", a pod cast I had been listening to for a few months. If you have not listened, do so. You might find it helps you as much as it has me. They are a small farm in upstate NY and bare all their trials and tribulations of farm life.
Anyhow, since the story of the surprise piglets has already been written, I will simply copy and paste it.....
From my email to Chicken Thistle the night of their birth (Feb 19th):
"Hi Andy and Kelli,
I wanted to convey that because of info that you guys have shared, there is a chance that some unexpected piglets may survive. This story is happening right now and is certainly not over....
My (idiot, neanderthal) neighbor has two pigs. One he bought as a gilt that he was told couldn't get pregnant. The breeder had been unsuccessful. That was about 3 months ago. During this time I shared that I was considering getting a couple feeders to see how it goes and that I had been reading as much as possible and learning.
Well last night I heard a very agitated pig. Today he asked if I would look at her because he thought she was bagging up and may be pregnant. He's not happy because she has a date with destiny on the 9th. I am certainly no expert, but I am pretty sure she is about to give birth. Her teets are HUGE, she is laying around more than regular, she started rooting and what I would call nesting behavior. She appears to have chosen the spot where she wants to have them. Unless I am mistaken, that means they are imminent.
Unfortunately he is not a good animal husband. The enclosure for the two pigs is very small. I helped him divide it into two and block sight of the other gilt, who is curious enough to piss the pregnant one off. I took what meager materials he had on hand and built a hut (encompassing her pre-chosen area) which provides cover for both, which they did not have. The pregnant one got more shielding from the weather. I instructed him to go get two straw bails and throw one in for her to nest with. She immediately took to it. I just checked on her and she is labored breathing, laying on her side. But she seems happier.
Anyhow, as I am working in the cold (err....coool, this isn't upstate NY) rain all I can think about is waking up to piglets in the snow, which is a possibility tonight here. You guys came to mind and I thanked (God, Universe...insert your word here) that I had listened to every pod cast of yours and had a small clue as to what to do. I guess it's natures course from here, but I would like to think that I gave them all a better chance at survival today. And if they do survive, I get pick of the litter.
Thank you for the valuable information you share. It most certainly does not fall on deaf ears. So many tidbits came to me, like speaking in lower/guttural tones which they both responded to. Speaking of ears I am 2 coopcasts behind. I have no idea how you fared in the major storm and am looking forward to more AI talk. Andy, you keep it together SO well.
I hope all is well!"
Here's a pic from their first day...
Two days ago I brought two of them home. A Gilt and a Barrow. The Gilt is white, her name is Patty. Link is the B/W Barrow. The fence is Premier 1 poultry net. They have already learned that it bites and they show no interest in testing it. I know that it is risky, but it's what I had available. It will buy me time to secure something larger and more permanent. The enclosed area is about 1600 sq/ft. As you can see it has terrain.... a meadow area with an Oak and a temporary hut, a pond/wallow and a high ground spot that they immediately claimed for rooting and lounging. Within 30 minutes of introducing them to the enclosure they had curly tails and very dirty faces. I checked on them at midnight during their first night when I heard our dogs barking. They were happily rooting in the wallow, LOL.
Pics to enjoy....
Back in mid February my neighbor frantically asked me to look at one his gilts. He thought something was wrong with her, and thought maybe she was pregnant. I am NOT the person to be asking because I have only studied raising pigs at this point. A lot of info I had gleaned from the Chicken Thistle Farm "coopcast", a pod cast I had been listening to for a few months. If you have not listened, do so. You might find it helps you as much as it has me. They are a small farm in upstate NY and bare all their trials and tribulations of farm life.
Anyhow, since the story of the surprise piglets has already been written, I will simply copy and paste it.....
From my email to Chicken Thistle the night of their birth (Feb 19th):
"Hi Andy and Kelli,
I wanted to convey that because of info that you guys have shared, there is a chance that some unexpected piglets may survive. This story is happening right now and is certainly not over....
My (idiot, neanderthal) neighbor has two pigs. One he bought as a gilt that he was told couldn't get pregnant. The breeder had been unsuccessful. That was about 3 months ago. During this time I shared that I was considering getting a couple feeders to see how it goes and that I had been reading as much as possible and learning.
Well last night I heard a very agitated pig. Today he asked if I would look at her because he thought she was bagging up and may be pregnant. He's not happy because she has a date with destiny on the 9th. I am certainly no expert, but I am pretty sure she is about to give birth. Her teets are HUGE, she is laying around more than regular, she started rooting and what I would call nesting behavior. She appears to have chosen the spot where she wants to have them. Unless I am mistaken, that means they are imminent.
Unfortunately he is not a good animal husband. The enclosure for the two pigs is very small. I helped him divide it into two and block sight of the other gilt, who is curious enough to piss the pregnant one off. I took what meager materials he had on hand and built a hut (encompassing her pre-chosen area) which provides cover for both, which they did not have. The pregnant one got more shielding from the weather. I instructed him to go get two straw bails and throw one in for her to nest with. She immediately took to it. I just checked on her and she is labored breathing, laying on her side. But she seems happier.
Anyhow, as I am working in the cold (err....coool, this isn't upstate NY) rain all I can think about is waking up to piglets in the snow, which is a possibility tonight here. You guys came to mind and I thanked (God, Universe...insert your word here) that I had listened to every pod cast of yours and had a small clue as to what to do. I guess it's natures course from here, but I would like to think that I gave them all a better chance at survival today. And if they do survive, I get pick of the litter.
Thank you for the valuable information you share. It most certainly does not fall on deaf ears. So many tidbits came to me, like speaking in lower/guttural tones which they both responded to. Speaking of ears I am 2 coopcasts behind. I have no idea how you fared in the major storm and am looking forward to more AI talk. Andy, you keep it together SO well.
I hope all is well!"
Here's a pic from their first day...
Two days ago I brought two of them home. A Gilt and a Barrow. The Gilt is white, her name is Patty. Link is the B/W Barrow. The fence is Premier 1 poultry net. They have already learned that it bites and they show no interest in testing it. I know that it is risky, but it's what I had available. It will buy me time to secure something larger and more permanent. The enclosed area is about 1600 sq/ft. As you can see it has terrain.... a meadow area with an Oak and a temporary hut, a pond/wallow and a high ground spot that they immediately claimed for rooting and lounging. Within 30 minutes of introducing them to the enclosure they had curly tails and very dirty faces. I checked on them at midnight during their first night when I heard our dogs barking. They were happily rooting in the wallow, LOL.
Pics to enjoy....
