Bonding advice please...

[KathT]

I am attempting to bond a sow with my trio of two sow and a neutered boar. They are all approx 3 years old. The new sow has fought with the trios dominant sow and drew blood - is this likely to cause the bond to fail? The new sow is also not submitting to the boar and they have a spat every so often with teeth chattering and some lunging and leaping over each other, the rest of the time they either rest or are munching hay. The injured sow (not injured badly, a cut to her lip) is very quiet and sitting in one corner of the pen. The other sow of the trio just keeps out of the way and submits to every pig. It’s been an hour. Any advice greatly received.

 

[Wiebke]

I am attempting to bond a sow with my trio of two sow and a neutered boar. They are all approx 3 years old. The new sow has fought with the trios dominant sow and drew blood - is this likely to cause the bond to fail? The new sow is also not submitting to the boar and they have a spat every so often with teeth chattering and some lunging and leaping over each other, the rest of the time they either rest or are munching hay. The injured sow (not injured badly, a cut to her lip) is very quiet and sitting in one corner of the pen. The other sow of the trio just keeps out of the way and submits to every pig. It’s been an hour. Any advice greatly received.

Hi!

I am very sorry, but this sounds like a failed bonding to me where acceptance has failed and your new sow has overreacted from fear-agression; this is not uncommon.

Please separate and find a different solution for your new sow; ideally by rescuedating rather than introducing on spec because of her fear-agression issues. Once piggies have made up their mind that a piggy is not part of a group (whether new or old), they are not going to change it anytime soon.

Please take the time to read this guide; it also contains a chapter on fear-agression: Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

 

[KathT]

Thanks Wiebke, I thought that might be the case. I have read the guides and knew there was a good chance of failure. The new sow was my sisters pig who was bereaved a few weeks ago, and my sister didn’t want to get into the never ending circle of g pigs, so I said I’d have her so that she wasn’t alone. Plan B it is then. Thanks again.

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks Wiebke, I thought that might be the case. I have read the guides and knew there was a good chance of failure. The new sow was my sisters pig who was bereaved a few weeks ago, and my sister didn’t want to get into the never ending circle of g pigs, so I said I’d have her so that she wasn’t alone. Plan B it is then. Thanks again.

Good that you have a plan B! All the best!