Piglets!

Our Miss Pig, Charlotte, worked several days making her nest just right to have her brood. She had quite a mound of straw in the middle of her big stall and then she laid there and panted and panted and panted. All day Monday we checked her several times and she didn't seem to be progressing at all. The panting and groaning continued through evening chores and I figured she would be that way until morning. I did a barn check at 7:30 pm. and nothing had changed. Tom did a barn check at 9pm and called to say we had a piglet. We all raced to the barn, cameras in hand to view something we had never seen before. Piglet #1 - they are very cuddly :) It was ten minutes and she had number 2; and then 3; and 4,5,6,7,8 and by 11 pm she had 9 little piglets. Tom would rub her belly in between delivering the piglets and then catch each one as the delivered it. I would then wipe the face and nose off and cut the umbilical cords. The membrane on the piglets is so fine that it almost disintegrates as the air hits it. Mother pigs do not clean off their babies as cows or sheep do. They are extremely active from the time they hit the ground. I was trying to contain them to one area so she could deliver the rest without the first few disturbing her. The piglets were having none of it. They were hungry and that's all there was it.

These three had to have a drink of milk before Mama pig could continue with the work of delivering the rest of her babies. They instinctively know where to go for the faucet. It wasn't long and they were full and warm.
In a matter of just a very few minutes, she had seven and I had them corralled and was trying to keep them there so she could finish. These little guys can crawl and scoot around - you just wouldn't believe it. They climbed right over that 2x6 and were headed for their Mother! I finally told Tom I couldn't stop them and let them all out of their pen.

Charlotte and her nine babies at 11:30 p.m. Monday evening. All seemed well and we all decided to go to the house and our beds. When I went to the barn this morning at 6 I was very surprised to find three more piglets.....12 sweet little piglets, all cuddled up to Mom, as content and happy as can be. I am overjoyed at the entire process. It was so worth all the time and effort - Charlotte is so trusting of Tom - he has done so well with her since we bought her as a baby. It wasn't so long ago I can remember Tom not being into the animals at all. What a change in him as well. Funny how animals can bring out the best in all of us. I'm very proud of Charlotte and Tom as well.

~Sweet dreams ~