Has anyone got any ideas please? My pig gave birth on 27th February, 2 boys & 1 girl. I had to separate them on 15th March as 1 of th boys was trying to be too friendly with his sister. The mum and daughter went into a hutch in my shed where I keep all of my other pigs who all free range round where they like in there. Anyway, a few days ago I thought under my supervision I'd let mum n daughter out to stretch their legs and say hello. Mum used to be with them till I realized she was pregnant but she was only in with them for a few weeks before she was put in the hutch. She was on her own in the pet shop for 3 weeks before that on pregnancy watch but before that in with 6 other pigs for at least a month. The baby didn't mind she wandered off on her own and my girls were very gentle when they sniffed her if she come up to them, most took no notice of her. The mum wandered off on her own but within 5 minutes had started on one of my big pigs. She was standing side on to her, stretching her legs so she looked taller and tried to puff herself out. Poppy wasn't that bothered because she's twice the size but she did chatter at her. Suddenly Pip (the mum) flew at her and jumped on her and then they were a mass of balled up writhing fur! I clapped and shouted and they separated with Pip running off with Poppy's fur in her mouth! I tried again yesterday but the same thing happened, this time after about 10 minutes and against another pig, Florence. Has she got too many pregnancy hormones still? Am I trying them together to early after everything? Or maybe just a matter of keep persevering? Any ideas or advice would be much appreciated thanks!
You could try keeping her in a pen in amongst the free rangers so she can get used to the mob feel again without the stress of being in with them. There are a few different ways of intregrating her - one on one with the dominant sow so she is accepted by her and then slowly introducing the rest of the girls is the way I normally do it. Though sometimes if you allow her in with the girls with the dominant out of the group for an hour or two so she settles then put the dominant back - girls can be as difficult as boys sometimes and it may just be a matter of time, and patience.
Putting all the girls out in the run so they are more interested in the grass than each other is another good way to get past the initial fight or flight response.
hi, thanks for your advice. Only problem is I don't really have any dominant pigs as such, I've never had any problems like this at all. They may have a chatter or so at each other or a squeak but none have ever hurt each other at all. The problem with Pip is they are not really taking much notice of her, its her going up to an individual and starting. The run in the garden idea is good but how many pigs should I put in with her? I have 26, 28 including Pip and daughter, so obviously I can't put them all in. Thanks
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