1 out of 3 isn't bad

[Countrylass]

We took Lexi, Doris and Carol dating this afternoon. Lexi came home with 2 ladies and Doris 1, Carol didn't get past chattering her teeth and looking uncomfortable so we are moving to Plan B for her. Managed to have relative peace for about half an hour before Lexi's group failed so Doris gained the submissive lady as she is too scared without one of her previous companions and Lexi is on her own. All are eating and apart from the odd reminder from Doris about who is boss, we seem to be doing OK.

Doris is the chocolate agouti and Emmeline the ginger and white abyssinian, I've been unable to get a photo of Ruby and don't want to stress her.

 

[Flutterby]

 

[Wiebke]

We took Lexi, Doris and Carol dating this afternoon. Lexi came home with 2 ladies and Doris 1, Carol didn't get past chattering her teeth and looking uncomfortable so we are moving to Plan B for her. Managed to have relative peace for about half an hour before Lexi's group failed so Doris gained the submissive lady as she is too scared without one of her previous companions and Lexi is on her own. All are eating and apart from the odd reminder from Doris about who is boss, we seem to be doing OK.

Doris is the chocolate agouti and Emmeline the ginger and white abyssinian, I've been unable to get a photo of Ruby and don't want to stress her.

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You have heard all about bonding boars.
Bonding sows is like...

I've currently got my own new headache just when I thought I had my ducks finally all nicely lined up!

 

[Countrylass]

I've never really had a problem bonding a boar into sows (even our two late highly strung boys Dillon and Marley found company) but sows can reject another pig before they have even said hello so I feel your pain! It is a first for us to have to return a piglet to a rescue but the third sow will have to go back as she doesn't like any of our existing ladies so we have space to find someone for Lexi and Carol.

Doris meanwhile seems to have taken to motherhood (we think them and Ruby are less than 6 months old) precisely like a duck to water and has even let them share her nuggets which looks promising.

 

[Wiebke]

I've never really had a problem bonding a boar into sows (even our two late highly strung boys Dillon and Marley found company) but sows can reject another pig before they have even said hello so I feel your pain! It is a first for us to have to return a piglet to a rescue but the third sow will have to go back as she doesn't like any of our existing ladies so we have space to find someone for Lexi and Carol.

Doris meanwhile seems to have taken to motherhood (we think them and Ruby are less than 6 months old) precisely like a duck to water and has even let them share her nuggets which looks promising.

I have got around the companionship headache with the baby trick with Dryw just before her 8 years old hubby-daddy passed away; and although it has taken me several weeks, I have managed to pair up all 5 dating piggies (3 of the bereaved returnees) that have come from TEAS with my own widows and widower in October.

It's thankfully worked out beautifully but now I am back to square one with Beti/Betty, who was a bereaved local vet referral in Mid-December...

 

[Countrylass]

No dramas overnight, little Emmeline and Ruby look more settled this morning. Doris is getting more exercise patrolling her patch and chasing Ruby (Emmeline is too quick for her). I'm keeping an eye out for signs of bullying just in case as Doris hasn't been letting Ruby eat salad next to her.

I'm glad it's worked out with your widows and widower. Carol is fear aggressive with other pigs since losing Charlie, is Beti the same?

 

[Countrylass]

This is little Ruby:


Thinking about Plan B which is my ideal world scenario where Carol joins Doris's group along with a boar and possibly another sow. Is it best to bond the boar into the group with Doris first or with Carol first? The reason we think Carol could go into the group is because of how she behaved when we tried her with Doris previously so my thinking is if we can remove her fear she won't freak out.

 

[Wiebke]

No dramas overnight, little Emmeline and Ruby look more settled this morning. Doris is getting more exercise patrolling her patch and chasing Ruby (Emmeline is too quick for her). I'm keeping an eye out for signs of bullying just in case as Doris hasn't been letting Ruby eat salad next to her.

I'm glad it's worked out with your widows and widower. Carol is fear aggressive with other pigs since losing Charlie, is Beti the same?

Yes, unfortunately - it is not rare, especially with piggies who have bonded as babies and then lived in a pair without interaction with other piggies. They have never had to deal with more complex social situations and feel very much out of their depth. She is very much a hastily bred pandemic piggy to keep the kids happy...

Please be aware that the post-intro dominance phase is lasting two weeks and that you will see some dominance behaviour. As long as the chasing is not persistent, I would not worry too much. The majority of the dominnace is always directed at the piggy ranked just below; and it all travels down the hierarchy ladder during that time.
Most people think that bonding is just a few hours whereas it takes on average about two weeks but may take even longer if a leader is not confident in their new role.

 

[Countrylass]

Carol joined us when she was 10 weeks old and went straight into Charlie's group with Ellie, Poppy, Tish and Freya with no further introductions during that 2 1/2 year period so yes she sounds very much like Beti.

Doris isn't fit enough (she has too much junk in the trunk) to chase for extended periods so it's once around the hut then either hay or a nap before doing it all over again a couple of hours later. It like simple "it's my hut / food" chasing at the moment and when I tried to pick Ruby up, Doris stood guard in front of her.