Piggies

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Looking better today and moving about more. New arks arrived first think, pictures later

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Getting out and about more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29QoP8AZ5Xw

Hopalong is recovering ok, he is staying near the ark though, his leg is still a bit sore.

New farrowing arks arrived yesterday, 2 setup for Greta & Bigpig, moving them in later today as I think Greta is just about to drop hers.

20231025_120610 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

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Greta & Bigpig moved in, they are so impressed they scratched a hole in the ground to lie in outside. Greta looks fit to burst, I am kind of hoping she drops tonight as I am working a long drive away Thursday/Friday. Just go a feeling she is going to have a big litter, want to be around.

20231025_163639 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

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And there's more! Greta has had 11
https://youtube.com/shorts/RWmhVTPox34?si=g4dgyVth...

20231028_101136 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

20231028_111404 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

Just Bigpig to go now, here she is testing out our new feeders, have a funky system inside that drops 1kg of pellets when you pull a handle, and takes 75kgs in the hopper, another timesaver.

2023-10-28_07-35-08 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

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Penny Whistle said:

Presumably you'll be selling weaners in a few weeks time ? Whereabouts in the country are you ?

Yes, south Cheshire / north Shropshire border

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Lacey's litter breakfasting outside while we have a break in the rain

20231030_100506 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

Greta's are staying indoors

20231030_100739 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

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I was thinking doing one like a Ladybird bug LOL

Storms have dumped loads of rain on us, paddocks are looking a bit wet but soon dry up, just need a rain free week!

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzL5CCBNnRH/?utm_so...

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Cagney & Lacey are back in 1 ark and just treating all the piglets as 1 family, mixing and matching of feeding going on now. The piglets are looking really good and growing fast.

20231107_131540 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

20231104_132950 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

Greta's piglets are starting to get out and about, unfortunately we lost the 2 runts of the litter, it happens

20231030_100131 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

2023-11-08_01-38-05 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

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Bigpig has still not farrowed, up to 2 weeks left going off the times Jack left their pen. She is very big and bagged up so hopefully any day now, sooner the better if the weather starts geting cold.

2023-11-08_01-57-55 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

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Penny Whistle said:

Is that electric fence powered up ? It's not bothering that little un.

It is, its above ear hight for the OSBs, and some of the Mangas are just touching it. Luckily at a week old they cannot fit through the stock fencing we use.

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Cagney & Lacey's litters are filling out really well, now on solids too, will wean them off mum in a couple of weeks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKmPjDi0WlY

Bigpig had a litter of 11, 2 didn't make it past day 1 unfortunately, but the remainder as doing well

2023-11-21_12-03-49 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

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Well its all gone a bit wrong with Bigpig and her litter, last night / this morning she has rejected her litter and just abandoned them. Spotted her off on her own this morning, not unusual but it looks like she hasn't returned to her piglets all day. Checked on them 5ish tonight and straight away spotted something wrong. The 3 smallest ones were wandering about trying to find mum and looking very cold, 2 were lying in the wet and the others had got over to Greta's litter to keep warm. Moved the ones outside under a heat lamp straight away but 2 didn't make it, 2 I think will be okay, and one is touch and go. No idea what has gone on with her, they are 3 weeks old now so wouldn't expect this to happen now. Main worry has been the cold, will check on the ones in with Greta in the morning and see if they need to go in the barn too, they are at the age where they can be weaned so think I may just move the whole litter and keep them together. Arse, we had lost a few out of the litters but I thought we were over losses by now.

20231128_190040 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

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Bigpig litter update. They all made it through the night Greta has taken on feeding duties too, so all sound there. There was 1 more small one which is 1/2 size of the rest who was struggling to feed with all the additions, 12 teats, 15 piglets. Little one was very cold too so decided to add her into the barn pack, no extra work feeding 1 more by hand. So there are 4 in the barn, 2 little ones, 2 slightly bigger, 2 little ones have had a few oz of milk from the bottle, the bigger ones are more interested in the sloppy creep porridge so didn't really take much from the bottle. Hopefully no more need a barn visit. Will ramp up weaning Greta's litter to take the strain off her some too.

20231129_123433 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

20231129_125451 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

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Mangalitsa's require Honda level maintenance, OSB's are more Lotus !

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Progress with the 4 in the icu trailer. Minnow (as the little one have now been named) is much improved, now drinking from the bowl and standing unaided doing so, the first few attempts needed some assistance. Tonight it (still haven't checked, think its a girl) managed a good 150ml of milk on its own and started to have a go at the soggy pellets in the milk too. The other 3 are putting on weight too, they are getting through 3litres of milk and 500g of pellets mixed in with it a day. Another few days & I will build a pallet pen in the barn and move them into that, staying in the trailer at the minute for the extra shield from the cold

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Cagney & Lacey's piglets are proper units, 6.5 weeks old and seriously chunky

20231130_161351 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

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Minnow is improving every day, this is post tea tonight

20231203_174812 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

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Normality has returned to the OSB pen. Bigpig is back to her normal self, and her and Greta's litters are swapping between the 2 for feeding. All the chaos coincided with the farmer where we have the pigs losing 10 chickens 1 night to a fox, we are thinking the fox may have has a go in the farrow pens and upset Bigpig. The 4 in the barn are doing well, I will keep them away from mum and in a group of 4 until weaning, then into the pens with the rest of the litters. The 2 bigger ones could possibly go back sooner, but I want to keep them as 1 unit so less likelihood of bullying when they return to their siblings.

20231205_123429 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

20231205_123355 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

20231205_123434 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

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The one slightly bigger than Minnow has improved no end too. Gone from cold and skinny the day we grabbed him from the pen to a happy chap with a bit of a belly. Currently the 4 small ones are up to 5 litres of milk and a kilo of pellets soaked in, really trying to get their weight up so I can move them into an open pen in the barn and switch to the heat lamp just at night then off altogether.

signal-2023-11-29-13-15-56-236 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

20231206_092109 by Old_Chad, on Flickr

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Minnow had a bit of a setback, developed joint ill so needed a vet visit. Had an antibiotic, anti inflammatory & pain killing jab and is starting to improve. He is struggling to weight bare on one back leg but still eating like a good-un and improving condition so vet isn't too worried.

Minnow bottom, bucket pig next, then the bigger 2
20231212_201140 by Old_Chad, on Flickr