gilt fixing to farrow

Amanda · Post by **Amanda** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 7:12 pm

My gilt she is due feb 9th. she is being feed 5 lbs aday. she acts like that inat enough for her. for the past 2 weeks she has lost the muscel in her hip around her tail head. her tail head like sticks up now. she was wormed about 2 1/2 weeks ago. She look a lil swollen and red, no dranage. i get in there and pet her and get her to lay down she acts like she has some trouble breathing whe she lays on her side. i was wondering if i am doing everything right and feeding her right? i hae our vet to come out a ve her her shots before breeding and all that and i think about a month ago she got some more. she also acts like her nipples are sore she isnt milking yet. so is this all normal? thanx

i was told i was doing everything right but i want to make sure

SpotShowDad · Post by **SpotShowDad** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 9:24 pm

Everything Sounds perfectly normal!!! LOL Nervous first time jitters is all you are experiencing!! Keep up the good work.

Best of Luck

Ericka · Post by **Ericka** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 11:21 pm

I normally cut my gilts or sows back to 4# a day a week before farrowing. Do NOT overfeed her because you feel sorry for her. Those babies can get to big and you can have trouble. I have been so lucky because I would still get 4 to 5 1/2 # babies. I guess it is just the genetics that I have. I even weigh their food when they are not pregnant. Best of luck to you.

P.S. Her hips and tail head a supposed to do that for the babies to pass.

Amanda · Post by **Amanda** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 11:33 pm

ok cause i know horses hips would start doing that about aweek or so before they foaled. so i am guessing pigs arnt much diifrent that horses. i have helped deliver several foals. and i also that when a horses gets a waxy tip on the end of there nipples that it will be within 24 hours. so is that so with a pig as well. well i will cut her back tomarrow to 4 lbs then cuz i dont want any problems.

i weight all my pigs feed as well all the time

Ericka · Post by **Ericka** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 11:39 pm

I know people that do that. Haven't you farrowed before? I know that you post alot and that is good because you may pass on something that people don't know. I learn something new every day. This is a great site. Let us know what happens. We have a week to 9 days left for our 3rd litter since November. We have been farrowing pigs since my son was a Freshman and he is now 24. I have taken over all of his breeding project and taken on a few of my own.

Amanda · Post by **Amanda** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 11:47 pm

i have not farrowed a pig out yet. My boyfreind he use to raise show pigs when he was in school and since he kids are now big enough to show that is how i go into pigs and he got back into lol. yea he said she looks good and everything i wsa just wanting to make sure. lol he makes everything sound alright all the time. i have only be around pig for a year now so i am still learning. i know horses. but thanx to all for helping me this has been a really good site i love getting on here and eading and try to post what has worked for me.

Amanda · Post by **Amanda** » Tue Feb 09, 2010 8:06 pm

here is pics of my gilt i dont think she lokos ready do all? to me she dont look that big. but she is a wide gilt. sorry she has been out on pasture till the other day so she is kinda nasty been to cold here to give her a bath

[img:5ba5e2a912]http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/oo34 ... er/222.jpg[/img:5ba5e2a912]
[img:5ba5e2a912]http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/oo34 ... er/231.jpg[/img:5ba5e2a912]
[img:5ba5e2a912]http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/oo34 ... /228-1.jpg[/img:5ba5e2a912]

Amanda · Post by **Amanda** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 9:44 am

one day over for the date i have and nothing she still dont look any closer than what she has been

Ericka · Post by **Ericka** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 9:58 am

Has she had babies before you got her?

Amanda · Post by **Amanda** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 10:02 am

nope this is her first litter

Amanda · Post by **Amanda** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 1:25 pm

My bad looked at the wrong date she isnt due for another 2 weeks

Amanda · Post by **Amanda** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 7:28 pm

ok here are some pics of her now. she is due march 1st

[img:2a7fc1e81b]http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/oo34 ... er/050.jpg[/img:2a7fc1e81b]
[img:2a7fc1e81b]http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/oo34 ... er/061.jpg[/img:2a7fc1e81b]

Amanda · Post by **Amanda** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 2:03 am

Well she had them all for the 4H'ers to see thonight lol. she is doing good we pen farrowed her. she has taken to these babies really really well. and it wasnt has hard has i thought it would be( i am lucky on that). she had 6 boars and 4 gilts. i was worried at first cuz they are so early she was due marh 1st. but all is ok they are nursing and everything. she still wants to be petted lol.

but we had all 4h kids there (well most) and she just laid there and my and the leader farrowed her out and let the kids watch. i think they loved it to. she didnt act at all nervous. She did tare but was told she would be ok. going to give her pen in the morning.

jlhogs · Post by **jlhogs** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 11:06 am

Congrats, and what a good experience for the kids.

Ericka · Post by **Ericka** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 12:25 pm

Congrats. I am glad it worked out so well for you. Are you sure that they are that early? That is like 10 or 11 days early and I don't think that they can live being born that early. How much do they weigh?