# Signs of Sow in labor



## Kjoiner (Jun 3, 2013)

I just have question. We have only had one litter of pigs so far but have a sow due anytime now. As of 11pm last night, you could get milk out of teats, her rear end is swollen (but has been somewhat swollen for weeks now). She did not eat this morning other than a few animal cookies. She actually threw her food bowl across the room this morning after she ate her cookies. She is in a farrowing crate but shows NO signs of nesting. She has shavings, but is doing no pawing or nesting. The last litter she had she did do some pawing and moving the shavings to the back of the pen. She is breathing sorta heavy, but it is hot today and then again she has been doing that on and off for about 1 1/2 weeks. Most articles say 24 hours after she has milk that she will deliver, but visible I see no other signs of her being that close which at this point would be less than 12 hours. I was just wondering what you thought so I would know how close I should stay to the house and if she does not have them before bedtime and is still not showing any other signs if I should set my alarm and check on her through out the night. What do you think?


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## bigmudder77 (Jun 9, 2008)

sounds close to me our one never built a nest she just had milk then when i went to work i checked on her she wasnt doing anything got home around 9-10 hours later and 15 little piglets were born our other one we bedded her as soon as she had milk and she made a nest before we went to bed got up checked her and nothing went to work and came home and she had 10 little piglets 

from what we have happen we find the gilts or sows do better when were not there watching over them we have one gilt in a crate (only one that will fit in a crate) right now and shes swollen backed off food but has no milk yet she was a boar breed and miscarried twice or didnt take so we think shes due pretty soon cause she bagged up and the back end is swollen but we dont really know for sure best thing you can do is just keep checking on her and when its time they will start coming out


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

Kjoiner said:


> . I was just wondering what you thought so I would know how close I should stay to the house and if she does not have them before bedtime and is still not showing any other signs if I should set my alarm and check on her through out the night. What do you think?


Why do you feel you need to be there when it happens--LOL. Both of mine had pigs within the last week and I was not there. Signs of mine fixing to have them is what you described and both of them layed down and started breathing/panting real fast----like 2 times a second. Once they started that the pigs were born shortly after(within 2 hours). Good Luck------Thinking they are probably already born being you posted this yesterday!!


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## Kjoiner (Jun 3, 2013)

Thanks, we did have babies last night. We just like to be there to help. We did end up having to pull the first one, that was 2 hours after her water broke and she started pushing. We think she was just wore out from us messing with her so much yesterday. Lesson learned!!! It was VERY slow going. she had her 10th baby at 3 am this morning, 5 hours after the first one and an 11th one alive at 8 am this morning!


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