A sow about to farrow will separate herself from the herd and find her spot. She will have picked it out some time before and built a nest for the young ones. The nest will have a furrow for her and a space to keep the young in close to her. She will stay in the nest for a few days, usually about three, only emerging to eat and drink and relieve herself, which she would never do in her bed unless forced to. Unfortunately, Sonia will have no choice, because the only way I could keep the piglets from her was to close her space off entirely. Otherwise I was concerned that the piglets would nurse from her and force her newborns out in the cold. That happened with the last sow that farrowed. She had adopted Clara's piglets a week before farrowing and they drank her colostrum leaving the new piglets to starve and freeze. So, to prevent that from happening, Sonia is locked up. She has about 8 square feet, enough to lie in any direction and still have lots of room.
She was bred to the pot belly boar, Wilbur, even though she resisted for some time. The other sows were much more cooperative, much to his delight. Sonia is smaller and likely not so much of a challenge for the potbelly, who is a smaller boar himself.
Sonia had built her nest yesterday. I tried to get her to stay there and fence her in, but she was having none of it, though today, she was supremely cooperative. I got the little piglets out of the way and Sonia laid down in her nest. Her vulva was very enlarged and jiggly, a sign of labour and delivery impending. I thought by the end of the day she would have farrowed, but I checked her before I retired and there were no piglets yet. There will be tomorrow for sure.
Sonia is Ossabaw Hog, a black and white pig breed often cartooned because of the long skinny snout and round body. Literally at this point she looks like someone stuck the bellows up her butt and blew her up! Tomorrow she will feel so much better. And I cannot wait to see those little gaffers. Sonia is black and white spotted and the boar is black. The dominant genes will be what colour the piglets are. They would be so adorable if they were black and white spotted. I wonder if they will have the round body or the potbelly style. Stay tuned for the news and pictures tomorrow.
She was bred to the pot belly boar, Wilbur, even though she resisted for some time. The other sows were much more cooperative, much to his delight. Sonia is smaller and likely not so much of a challenge for the potbelly, who is a smaller boar himself.
Sonia had built her nest yesterday. I tried to get her to stay there and fence her in, but she was having none of it, though today, she was supremely cooperative. I got the little piglets out of the way and Sonia laid down in her nest. Her vulva was very enlarged and jiggly, a sign of labour and delivery impending. I thought by the end of the day she would have farrowed, but I checked her before I retired and there were no piglets yet. There will be tomorrow for sure.
Sonia is Ossabaw Hog, a black and white pig breed often cartooned because of the long skinny snout and round body. Literally at this point she looks like someone stuck the bellows up her butt and blew her up! Tomorrow she will feel so much better. And I cannot wait to see those little gaffers. Sonia is black and white spotted and the boar is black. The dominant genes will be what colour the piglets are. They would be so adorable if they were black and white spotted. I wonder if they will have the round body or the potbelly style. Stay tuned for the news and pictures tomorrow.
Sonia grunting and chomping in labour in her nest. Privacy at last!
The piglets and the sows all wanted to come in, but my barrier has held out so far.
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