I was a total failure in keeping a sow. I want to do it again. Seems I need to be much smarter in figuring out that liminal space between total confinement and free range. We have a very small farm space (2,000 square meters including the house and vegetable/duck garden), so our pigs are semi-confined on the ground, no concrete structures. I don’t set up farrowing pens or crates, but the space is small for sow to root and build a nest, etc. Sigh. Need to figure out the best way to do this …
From reading on your website, I wouldn’t say you failed. That sow just didn’t work out. That happens. We’ve had sows get mastitis or metritis. If it happens early in the lactation period, the piglets are often too young to be weaned and by the time you realize you have a problem, piglets are already losing weight. Even if you can get the right treatment in place, the piglets will probably die before the sow is healed unless there is another sow who can adopt the piglets. It is tough. Some days raising pigs is wonderful, some days it is miserable.
3 thoughts on “Just for Pretty”
I was a total failure in keeping a sow. I want to do it again. Seems I need to be much smarter in figuring out that liminal space between total confinement and free range. We have a very small farm space (2,000 square meters including the house and vegetable/duck garden), so our pigs are semi-confined on the ground, no concrete structures. I don’t set up farrowing pens or crates, but the space is small for sow to root and build a nest, etc. Sigh. Need to figure out the best way to do this …
From reading on your website, I wouldn’t say you failed. That sow just didn’t work out. That happens. We’ve had sows get mastitis or metritis. If it happens early in the lactation period, the piglets are often too young to be weaned and by the time you realize you have a problem, piglets are already losing weight. Even if you can get the right treatment in place, the piglets will probably die before the sow is healed unless there is another sow who can adopt the piglets. It is tough. Some days raising pigs is wonderful, some days it is miserable.
Thanks Dave, I do plan to give it another try this year, will do my best, with no great expectations.