# Signs to look for at farrowing



## Mark T (Jan 7, 2003)

I have a bred sow and will be farrowing for the first time this year - in previous years I bought piglets.

The fellow I bought her from said she should deliver at the end of May/early June.

I know how to look for signs of impending birth in cows. What should I look for with the sow?

If it matters, she will be farrowing outside on the pasture.

Thanks for the help.


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## tinman1 (Jan 20, 2009)

This is asked often..She may have her milk drop 24 hours or so before birth, or she may not..If this is her first litter, its a definite maybe..Make sure you have her where you want her to farrow, and give her plenty of dry bedding.She will make a nest and settle in when she is ready..Try to be there when she does if possible to dry the piglets, and set them on a teat.She may not let you that close ,but if she does you will really enjoy the experience..I see your in central Va., where at? Let us know how it goes.....Ron


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## beeman97 (Jul 13, 2003)

Mark,
She will swell up considerably in the vulva area, her teets will fill up although if she is a 1st time mother she will probably not be showing milk, but with some work she will release it if you want to try to make her. if she is on pasture you will not have to do anything at all but watch, do NOT try to handle the piglets, she will do all the cleaning herself. with-in 24 hrs of farrowing she will make a nest by collecting brush that is available, if there is no brush provide her with several bales of hay or straw so she can make her nest. the nesting is the key, once you see her doing that you will know it is close. she will also get scarce & can also get ornery during this time, making her nest in a place of her own choosing where she feels safe from the rest of the occupants of the pasture. Her protective behavior can range from really not caring if your around to actually chasing you away very aggressively depending on the sow.
If she decides your not going to be around you will know it without a doubt in a hurry & be ready to run fast to get out of her way. Usually the chase will not last long, within about 30 yards of the nest is the norm.
We have had both extremes here & i can tell you there is nothing worse on earth then a mother hog trying to protect her space. but also , others in the same herd, just lay there & let you pet them & handle the babies without any issue what so ever. If she is a new addition to your farm i would lean on the protective side. so be aware of that & act accordingly. & oh yes , she can & usually will give you a verbal warning "Bark" before actually running you down for invading her space. 
The key is to leave her alone to farrow, while curiosity is to get close & watch or help, it can be very harmful to the piglets, if she is nervous because you are to close for her liking she may jump up & try to chase you or at least bark, this will cause babies to get stepped on by her & that can & will kill them in a hurry, if she doesn't actually step on them then she may lay on them when she goes back down to finish her farrowing. either way it is not good & she should be left alone until you know you can trust her & get close.
Good Luck with your upcoming birth


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## amylou62 (Jul 14, 2008)

Being there to help with farrowing is why I like to be as friendly with my sows as possible. Neither one of my sows care if I help with the babies. I always dry them off and put them on a teat immediately. My sows love me though. I am the bringer of the licorice.


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## Mark T (Jan 7, 2003)

This is her third farrowing - she had two batches of eight for her previous owner.

She was off her feed last night - when I went to do the evening feeding she had only eaten half of her ration and didn't even come when I called her. I walked out and looked at her in the woods. She didn't even bother to get up and let me touch her with no objections, but there is no swelling of the vulva.

She has pendulous nipples from previous nursing, and I'm not sure how to tell if she is bagging up - it's easy to see with cows, but I'm not sure what a full of milk pig will look like.

I checked on her again at 5:00 AM and she has moved but still stayed laying down. She ate about half her ration from last night. Still no swelling or discharge from the back end.


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

Here's a post that includes a photo (last one in post) of a sow who is fully bagged and building a nest just before farrowing, as well as some pix from after farrowing.

http://sugarmtnfarm.com/blog/2008/10/blackie-fall-2008-piglets.html

Here's another (Flo ready to go):

http://sugarmtnfarm.com/blog/2007/12/more-piglets-blackie.html

Here's another of a sow at about a week earlier, bagging but not quite ready to go. The difference is quite striking:

http://sugarmtnfarm.com/blog/2008/09/breast-ice-cream-in-vermont.html


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