H
hils78
A while back I mentioned that I tried to bond my 2 groups of rescue sows & their little girls which was to put it mildly 'not a success'!
With a week or so in their own family groups & some serious Rest & Relaxation I decided on another attempt but with new tactics. I used the old bathing method, it was seriously like a conveyor belt of very cross wet little pigs! then all in the laundry basket to dry. To be honest I have been desperate to bath the 2 mums but as they were so pregnant when I got them I didn't. The 2 huge girls Willow & Wisp got a proper bath & Elizabeth just had a quick dunk because she's a bit small for a full on salon experience. Just needed to get mums scent off of her.
I put up a C&C on my dining table & spent literally the whole day sitting watching them. There were a few expected minor scuffles but they are now all living in their own 6ft heated pen in the shed. The shed pens, although 6ft are divided in the middle by an arch so I've put up mirror image hideouts, food bowls & water bottles just in case. They are definitely keeping to their preferred ends with baby Elizabeth enjoying the freedom of being 'baby' and generally getting away with going wherever she wants!
I am so relieved that it has worked out because I was getting a bit worried about having so many separate groups of pigs. They go out in the summer to hutches and I have just the right amount of space for my groups to have summer accommodation. Adding an extra 5ft x 2ft hutch in my tiny garden would have been a nightmare!
With a week or so in their own family groups & some serious Rest & Relaxation I decided on another attempt but with new tactics. I used the old bathing method, it was seriously like a conveyor belt of very cross wet little pigs! then all in the laundry basket to dry. To be honest I have been desperate to bath the 2 mums but as they were so pregnant when I got them I didn't. The 2 huge girls Willow & Wisp got a proper bath & Elizabeth just had a quick dunk because she's a bit small for a full on salon experience. Just needed to get mums scent off of her.
I put up a C&C on my dining table & spent literally the whole day sitting watching them. There were a few expected minor scuffles but they are now all living in their own 6ft heated pen in the shed. The shed pens, although 6ft are divided in the middle by an arch so I've put up mirror image hideouts, food bowls & water bottles just in case. They are definitely keeping to their preferred ends with baby Elizabeth enjoying the freedom of being 'baby' and generally getting away with going wherever she wants!
I am so relieved that it has worked out because I was getting a bit worried about having so many separate groups of pigs. They go out in the summer to hutches and I have just the right amount of space for my groups to have summer accommodation. Adding an extra 5ft x 2ft hutch in my tiny garden would have been a nightmare!
;D O0
