We now have a herd and a quartet

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helen105281

helen105281

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Anyone who has been following my pigs over the years will know what we started off with one lone sow and have ended up with a large herd (currently 12), the odd single pig, boars pairs and sow pairs and now we have some fairly important changes in the herd.

We recently lost Terk and as mentioned in my other thread took Ellie dating to meet a neutered boar called Barley. However, in the herd of 12 we have noticed that our neutered boar Barney has been bullyiong Jess and to a lesser extent Star. So we thought we would try Ellie, Barley, Star and Jess as a quartet. After some bonding in the hall, where Jess was chattering a lot it calmed down and we tried them in the newly extended cage and they have settled really well. Barley is trying his best to impress but the girls, especially Jess, have pee'd in his face so many times bless him but he doesn't give up. Both Jess and Star seem a lot more relaxed too and Ellie seems to like them aswell and has been spending time with them rather than hiding away.

So now we have a herd of 10, a quartet and a boar and sow pair (Tim and Sophie).
 
Good news it is going well, group dynamics are something that fascinates me with piggies, however during bonding my nerves would be shot :))

PIGTURES!!! *hints* :)
 
nice to see owners putting in an effort to keep their piggies happy and i am so jealous. I only have 6 as space and money doesn't allow more although my daughters friend has two so i spoil them as well. Was going to introduce the new two to the quartet but after discussing it with another member decided not ot risk upsetting the quartet as 2 of them are still young so don't know what they will be like when they are older and don't want to end up with seperates.
 
Welcome to the dynamic world of tribal politics... No less complicated than the Houses of Parliament!

Similar to you I started out with an old sow and her younger "husboar" and have now got a herd of 11, a cataract group of 4, an elderlies group of 6 and latest a teddy couple who don't get on with any of the other groups, all of which have split off from the big group at some point or other. Sequels are guaranteed! As is a very flexible set-up, plenty of space and a VERY tolerant partner... rolleyes

Great that Jess and Ellie are both much happier (as is Barney).
 
I was thinking of yours Wiebke when we were working it all out. The OH has been off sick today so has been able to keep an eye on them and there have been no issues apparently. Will try for pics in the next few days and a herd line-up too. There are some from bonding but they are very blurred.
 
Aw bless them all, glad Jess has been fine with getting two new friends :) Glad things are going ok and fingers crossed they stay that way x
 
Things are still going ok, though Jess does chatter occasionally (she always has), usually if Ellie is too close to her bed, when then makes Ellie run off chattering which sets Barley off and he starts to herd sideways (all 860g of him) but then it all blows over. They all had a bath last night and I caught Star grooming Barley and apparently Jess has done it today too. Ellie was sitting with Star and Barley when I got up this morning. Jess keeps herself to herself in her bed but this is not out of character. Star discovered the ramp and hayloft last night and was very excited, she has also started to eat out in the open whereas she would always eat from her pigloo. Barley also tends to take food from the girls' mouths which am hoping he will grow out of, think it is because this was the only way he could get food before when he lived in a big group of boys before he was rescued. It's a work in progress but we are getting there I think. Jess does tend to be unpredicatable with her chattering whcih Ellie is not used to.
 
Well the quartet are getting on brilliantly now and Barley absolutely adores his girls. Even Ellie seems to have mellowed and lets him sniff her. Star and Jess have taught them both how to eat correx too though that's not a good thing. Millie may joint them at some point due to Barney's bullying.









 
Bit of an update on this situation. Top sow in the herd Millie has been slowly losing her position and is being picked on by Barney, Maddie and Mabel. We thought we would try to bond her with the quartet which was fine until Barley (keep up, we have a Barney and Barley lol) was annoyed at her rejecting his advances and started herding her sideways which made her chatter and then they both did a flying lunge and we stopped them just before they ended up in a ball. She is back with the herd for now and tomorrow the herd will be split as follows:

Millie, Little Rose, Fuzzy, Katie and Amy
Barney, Maddie, Mabel, Phoebe and Emma

Sadly it means splitting the skinnies but they only intertact when Katie nicks Phoebe's cozy and Phoebe has to stay with Barney as they get on really well. Feeling sad but it is right for Millie, she looks miserable.
 
I am very sorry; herd dynamics can really give you major headaches, can't they? You end up with a lot of jiggling around and at worst yet another splinter group... :(

I find that my old top sows are struggling most as they go pretty much from top to bottom and end up rather miserable and stressed out.
 
Thanks Wiebke, must admit we were thinking of your dynamics when making our decision.

Will update tomorrow, the only pig I am torn on at the mo is Katie.
 
Well it's done and all seems harmonious so far:

This is Millie's herd's bit (it extends up the room too)



This is Barney's herd's space:

 
Here are the individual groups:

Millie's herd:



Barney's herd:



The quartet:

 
I love your piggies Helen! I wish i had a bunch of piggies like you ( although it sounds like the groups have had lots of upheval latley)...they are all just so cute
 
It was a bit and am anxious now that they are unhappy, especially Barney's herd, doesn't help he is now bar chewing as he wants to go back to where he has always been, I keep telling him it's all his fault. Then he looks at me and I melt.
 
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