At 7:15 am the sun was peeping over the escarpment into a crisp clear morning. The heavens had left a nice little gift in the rain gauge of 7mm of precipitation which fell last night. After emptying the rain gauge I wandered over to the farrowing shed where I had put Doreen nearly two weeks ago when I produced colostrum from her teat. We had no idea when Doreen was going to give birth as we had originally thought she had been in pig when we picked her up from Fernleigh farm but for some reason she didn't take and by process of elimination we deduced she had been serviced by Prince just after we picked her up. It could have well been on the way home from picking them up as Scott had to stop the ute due to it swaying all over the road as Prince was attempting to mount Doreen.
But this morning was the morning and as I approached the shed I could hear a little unmistakable squeal and upon opening the door there was one little piglet snuggling up to mummy's tummy, I had thought that there were something wrong with the back legs as they seemed to be stiffly splayed forwards . I came back into the house to get the camera and by the time I returned another piglet had been born and was still mostly encased in membrane.
I stayed around to witness the next two being born back feet first and I gave both of them a sling by the back legs to help flush fluid from their airways in an attempt to give them a better chance of survival. The birthing process was quite interesting and most of what I had read was actually happening, Doreen shivering and the twitching of the back upper leg then there was the clear discharge prior to the actual arrival.
After the fourth there was, what I had presumed, the afterbirth. On checking back a little later another piglet had arrived and then by 11:30 there were 2 more to make seven, and what looked more logically to be the placenta.
Its very scary watching by yourself even after reading all about the processes as its difficult to really establish whether or not there really are problems and exactly how and at what point you would intervene. Probably much like you wouldnt read a book about cricket and then go out and play a game without some hands on training.
Where as Beatrice had given birth late afternoon before a cold night, Doreens birth was in the morning in much milder conditions, even so I had the heat lamp already in the shed turn on. This didnt however prevent 2 casualties that evening where Doreen had rolled on them. Its so disheartening to find the squashed bodies, the alternative is the farrowing pen which goes against letting the animals exhibit their natural behaviours.
We now stand at 5 little pigs with the runt surviving, 3 males and 2 females all snuggled up under the heat lamp and Doreen having a well earned rest as we enter into the second evening.
farrowing pen and we let B2 out into the field for the first time in her life. Not sure about the surroundings at first B2 stayed close to the farrowing pen. Beatrice however coaxed B2 into the Paddock. B2 was very intrigued with the chickens and started chasing them around. 
farrowing pen and we let B2 out into the field for the first time in her life. Not sure about the surroundings at first B2 stayed close to the farrowing pen. Beatrice however coaxed B2 into the Paddock. B2 was very intrigued with the chickens and started chasing them around. 
