Surprise babies!!!

Here is what greeted me on the farm this morning....

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This birth was unexpected at this time, my calendar said 10 more days. The babies were out in a wide open shed. So I thought I would move them...that turned into an adventure. Mom didn't want to move, the boar was being protective, the babies busted out of the tote and where everywhere.

Good news is that I now have 3 happy babies under a lamp and with the best mom ever. She digs them out of the hay before laying down. Then she lays square until they are accounted for, then lays down on her side to nurse. So gentle.

Sad news is that I lost one...literally. Can't find it. It took off running at a speed I never imagined a baby pig running at, I could barely keep up, and two escaped at the same time, running full out opposite of each other, I have looked and can't find it anywhere. I had 7 people looking. I doubt morning will bring it out alive.

Good news is I have 3 happy Ossabaw baby piggies.

heebidie jeebidies islandgal99, I gone weak at the knees. next to chickens I think I could do piggies! maybe my son was right, chickens are a gateway breed   . so cute. want some. need some. . .

sorry to hear you lost one   .

Aww They are beautiful. Congratulations.

You are crazy islandgal99. Those babies are super cute. Oh my I actually want another piggy. NO, NO no not until I have my holiday this spring.

We have done pigs 2 yrs in a row and every time we drop off at the butchers we get compliments on how well behaved our pigs are. I spend so much time out there with them. They are so smart and they have personalities that are hilarious. This year we had 3 girls Trouble would untie or chew on your laces and or toes, Buttercup would flop down beside you and grunt belly up for rubs and last but far from lest Patches who would talk your ear off.

Anyways I am loving your Ossabaw babies   

They're soooo cute!  Love the spots   I bet the piggy wrangling was super fun 

My chicken keeper is going to do a piggy project for 4-H next year eek!  So cute (and tasty) but yikes never had pigs before so it'll be another learning adventure   

Good luck with your adventure but we're going to need more photos

Oh glory be, that is beautiful, I love to see babies...have a wonderful day, CynthiaM.

BABY PIG WAS FOUND, alive and scared. Made its way back to the big pen where it was born. Amazing instincts. Pretty scared and cold. Mom was amazing with him, took him right to the heat and food and settled him right down.

Thank you for letting us know! I was worried about little escapiggy.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh. good news.    

Ruffled Feathers, when I first got the two Ossabaw girls, I originally thought I had made a mistake. They were so cute and friendly - I kept looking at them, and thinking "how in the world am I going to be able to eat these babies" because they were so friendly, small enough to not be a hassle, and these two girls were more like dogs than pigs for personality and friendliness. Then came Wilburt, and it became very clear - big, pushy, obnoxious, UGLY - much easier to imagine eating the boys.  Still along ways away until I get to have some ossabaw pork...not sure that any of these will be market pigs - I have a waiting list of people interested in these guys for breeding.  

Another litter is due in 8 days, and I will be prepared for those ones!

Fantastic that piggy found its way home!  I hope the next litter comes easily.  Looking forward to more cute piggy pics

Wonderful surprise. Glad the wanderer returned safely. They are too cute for words.

Couldn't eat those! too very cute....lovely black and whites... thanks for sharing

  Congratulations on the new piglets! And that's really great news that the little lost one has been found...I love happy endings!

Soooo cute !!

Lovely! That's quite a story - how long was the piglet away from his mother?

Is there a typical litter size for your pigs? It does seem a little small, but with a first timer always hard to know.

Keep track of how many days gestation there was - it will help you next time. Maybe as a smaller breed their gestation period is shorter? I do like to have my sows farrowing in a really secure pen - piglets do get a little crazy sometimes!

I suspect there may have been losses...the ravens are especially opportunistic here. And I've never seen babies with survival instinct turned In like these ones. This gilt I did not see be bred, and though I knew she was expecting thought she was due after the other who is due Dec 20. I was wrong.

Baby was away from mom from 12 noon till 7 am the next morning...but had found the other adults and snuggled in with them to be warm in the night...smart and brave, but doing what it had to do to attempt to make it through the night.

I would expect 6-8 (or more) piggies from this breed. 4 is low, but this Gilt is bottom of the pecking order and small herself. And I'm not sure if did loose any - birthing around 4 other pigs and then the ever present ravens isn't good.

All good points. Once you get a "system" you may be able to track breeding/gestation more accurately.

Ravens do love newborn piglets! I've found I have to farrow under a roof to protect from flying predators.

Even if that piglet did find other pigs for warmth it is amazing it lasted that long without mother's milk - but great.

I grew up with commercial pigs, and never saw instincts like I see in these. These are all very friendly pigs, but these youngsters were scrappy and ran like jackrabbits. AND the fact they ran opposite directions - never seen that in any breed, usually critters try to stay together. And the survival surprised me also, because I really never expected to see the little gaffer alive. He was a good 500 or more yards from his birthing location when I saw him running away, and he made it back through the sheep pasture and back to the middle of he pig pen, and even through the electric fence. Outstanding.

I hope after all his trauma the stress doesn't get him. And I hope he will be friendly after this event. So far so good. They are all happy now to hang with mom in the nice warm place.

I do notice that piglets scatter - I think that's the way they survive predators. Makes my herding dog crazy! The primitive breeds may be that much better at surviving.

An amazing story!

Kind of brings that whole saying of "I just have to be quicker than you!" to point.

Glad to hear it made it back safe.

islandgal99 wrote:I grew up with commercial pigs, and never saw instincts like I see in these. These are all very friendly pigs, but these youngsters were scrappy and ran like jackrabbits. AND the fact they ran opposite directions - never seen that in any breed, usually critters try to stay together. And the survival surprised me also, because I really never expected to see the little gaffer alive. He was a good 500 or more yards from his birthing location when I saw him running away, and he made it back through the sheep pasture and back to the middle of he pig pen, and even through the electric fence. Outstanding.

I hope after all his trauma the stress doesn't get him. And I hope he will be friendly after this event. So far so good. They are all happy now to hang with mom in the nice warm place.

I wonder if this early escapade bodes interestingly for their future adventures at your farm. I do like a survivor creature. Please tell more stories if they arise. Do pigs imprint like ducks and horses?

I am feeling a Babe movie night coming up. It has both pig and duck cuties in it. And both very much interested in surviving.