Dominant Sow Problems (Help Needed)

[PrincessPiggies94]

This is a frustrating situaction as Ive never expierenced anything like this before so I'm desperate for help. I have 5 sows in two 4x2 setups and Ive got one sow whos 8 months who lives in a trio with a birth sibling and a teddy sow whos 7 months. And all day and night except when they are sleeping she is constantly rumble strutting around the cage! I have two hides and two dishs etc as I'm working with limitations of space I have. She always seems to target the teddy sow with the strutting, chasing her out of hides and hay piles etc. The teddy is still able to eat and drink etc as normal and access hides but it's starting worry me with this constant behavior. I know pigs have their ways and emotions but surely constant like this isnt normal? Ive tried extra hides, treat and hay forage paper bags etc and she just takes over them. Its driving me nuts as I dont know if I am over worrying or I need to intervene. I understand 4x2 is the minium but I am within limited space my only other option would be another room of their own but I dont know if that would cause more issues.

 

[Piggies&buns]

They are teenagers and experiencing hormone spikes, just the same as boars do. But it also sounds like she may well be the dominant and is making sure everybody knows it, perhaps she is an insecure dominant also. Is this behaviour constant daily or only when she is in season?

However, only having two hides with three sows is an issue - they need to have at least as many items as there are piggies, so you need at least three hides in the cage at all times.
Food bowls aren’t recommended in any event - we recommend veg and pellets are scattered around the cage and into loose hay piles to encourage foraging, mental stimulation, stop food hogging and to keep them occupied.

If you have the option to move them to another room and give more space then I would do that. A 4x2 would be considered too small for three sows and a 5x2 is the recommended size.
Hormone spikes are obviously still going to happen but having a bit extra room can mean they feel a bit less frustrated and the others have further to get away.

There is also the possibility of it being bullying behaviour an that actually the two of them just don’t get on and potentially could need to be separated but we don’t have enough information to be able to make that call at present - such as how does the 7 month old respond, is she losing weight, does she seem depressed and avoids the 8mnth old etc

 

[PrincessPiggies94]

They are teenagers and experiencing hormone spikes, just the same as boars do. But it also sounds like she may well be the dominant and is making sure everybody knows it, perhaps she is an insecure dominant also. Is this behaviour constant daily or only when she is in season?

However, only having two hides with three sows is an issue - they need to have at least as many items as there are piggies, so you need at least three hides in the cage at all times.
Food bowls aren’t recommended in any event - we recommend veg and pellets are scattered around the cage and into loose hay piles to encourage foraging, mental stimulation, stop food hogging and to keep them occupied.

If you have the option to move them to another room and give more space then I would do that. A 4x2 would be considered too small for three sows and a 5x2 is the recommended size.
Hormone spikes are obviously still going to happen but having a bit extra room can mean they feel a bit less frustrated and the others have further to get away.

There is also the possibility of it being bullying behaviour an that actually the two of them just don’t get on and potentially could need to be separated but we don’t have enough information to be able to make that call at present - such as how does the 7 month old respond, is she losing weight, does she seem depressed and avoids the 8mnth old etc

She is doing it all day constantly and in the night time. Only time is when shes eating or asleep. The teddy sow whos the "victim" is not losing weight or got any issues health wise. Behavior wise she just moves out the way and does what she has to do. She is submissive in a sense but does often times not back down easy.

 

[Piggies&buns]

How long have they been together?

How long has the relentless rumbling and chasing been going on?

Sows can be a bit more subtle about bullying so it can be a bit harder to spot.

 

[PrincessPiggies94]

They have been together about 4 months roughly they was seperated from a group of 5 due to bad barbering issues resulting in broken skin and bald patchs. The "boss" and her litter mate are both barbering pigs.its been going on for a while now about a month or two I don't have an exact time line.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I would suggest trying to give them more space and more resources in the cage and see if things improve over time. She may just be insecure in her position and is going overboard as a result/combined with hormones.
It is also possible that there is an issue between them (given it’s been going on so long) and you may end up finding she needs to be separated but I would probably try more space etc first before going to a trial separation.

Bonds In Trouble

 

[PrincessPiggies94]

I would suggest trying to give them more space and more resources in the cage and see if things improve over time. She may just be insecure in her position and is going overboard as a result/combined with hormones.
It is also possible that there is an issue between them (given it’s been going on so long) and you may end up finding she needs to be separated but I would probably try more space etc first before going to a trial separation.

Bonds In Trouble

The only way I can do more space is move them to the other room and split them all into pairs in three 4x2 cages in the other room as I am taking on another sow this week. So the teddy could go with the other sow which would resolve this issue. Boss pig needs to stay with her litter mate as they are bonded well. I can definate move them, the only concern was their ability to cope being moved out of my bedroom which they have been used to since babies.

 

[Mrs Tiggy Winkle]

the only concern was their ability to cope being moved out of my bedroom which they have been used to since babies.

Maybe moving out would be a big adventure for them? New room, new smells. Tbh I never considered that kind of thing in my guinea career. Sometimes Humans have to move house even, so the guineas do too. Within the house is much less change.

 

[Piggies&buns]

they will be fine moving room provided you keep the same bedding in the cage so that it still smells of them ie don’t move the cage and put fresh bedding in one the same day