Piglets everywhere!!

It has come to my attention that all my female pigs (both sows and gilts) come into heat that the same time, every three weeks, unless they are pregnant.  Over the summer I had three sows farrow the same day.  They had been placed with the boars weeks apart, but somehow managed to "sync up" and deliver me surprises the same day.  Recently, my two sows, Stella and Maisy delivered on the same day.  The interesting thing about that, is that Maisy was in with the boars two months before Stella.  Two and a half weeks later (gilts farrow earlier) Olive and Minnie both had litter within 24 hours of each other.

Now, I understand that this is mother nature and all that jazz.  But, wouldn't it make more sense for them to stagger out?  That way they wouldn't be drawing away resources (and boars) at the same time.  It also would be easier for me, if the pigs care!! It also seems to me, that the females seem to get pregnant in groups, it makes me wonder if the boars just sit around being lazy unless there is competition, or two girls competing.

I looked for peer reviewed articles on the subject, no dice.  So, I guess I will just keep my records and see what happens over the long term.

January 9th, 2013

1/9/2013

In the new year I’ve decided to start a chronicle of our farm life.  It will be a way for me to keep track of what happened, when, and how.  Some days my memory is not as great as others.  So, here I am. 

As I sit in my office I love to look out the window, past the palm trees and succulents is grass.  In this grass currently are my two favorite pigs, Stella and Stanley.  I just gave them oranges, so they are feasting.  I have a routine just about every day --  I go into the orchards, get fruit, drop some off to Stella and Stanley, then go to the baby pen and give them the rest.  Then I go to the white sapote tree, get some of those, plus leaves, for the chickens.  That’s their afternoon treat.  I don’t know what they will do when college starts back up and I’m gone in the afternoons to teach, they will have afternoon treats on a slightly different schedule! 

The Australorps have been laying for a little over a week now, I’m quite happy with them.  I get either two or three eggs a day, not bad for six pubescent hens in January!  I’m currently working on a plan to get them tractors.  This will allow me to separate breeds and keep them safe from the coyotes and neighborhood dogs.  I had originally planned to let the chickens out during the days, but there are simply too many predators out here for my comfort. 

Here’s my tip of the day from the Vet visit yesterday—if your animals have dry skin (we were talking pigs) give them a teaspoon or so of oil every day or so.  Not too much, but this will give them the Vitamin E they need to avoid dry skin. 

Lisa