Non horsey question.-Peeps that know anything about piggies!

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soph21

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OH works on a pig farmer, and there is a baby piglet thats a runt, he said if its still alive tomorrow he'll bring it home for me to look after till its strong enough to go back
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Can you get formula milk for piglets? I would love to help him.
I just hope he's still alive and kicking tomorrow. OH has already had a b0llocking for not bringing him home tonight!
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Thanks
xx
 
Don't know about Piggies but I've done Lambs and you buy formula for them either from a large animal vet or a farm supplies shop so I'd give them a ring.
 
you can get formula from cornwall farmers about £10 a bag.don't bother with any proper bottles just get a cheap babies bottle.
 
awww how can you say that!
Its a lickle baby! He wont smell! It will be sleeping in our bedroom, OH doesn't know that yet!
Im going to carry him round in a bag like the posh people do with their little rats!
Oh and A wants me to pick her up from school with it!

Im all excited
 
Sophie I know you really want the pigling BUT please think hard about it. If you treat it as a baby then it will be hard for it if you send it back to the farm. If you decide you're going to keep it it's not like looking after a horse. Firstly pigs and horses don't always get on, secondly you can't keep them on the same ground - too dangerous for the horse with "charged" legs and rutty and furrowed up ground. Thirdly - keeping a pig in, especially a bored and lonely pig, is difficult. We gave up on keeping a fully grown sow rather than buying in weaners when we realised just how big she was - and what damage she could do.

Of course you might just grow it on for the freezer - but again treating it as one of the family will cause extra stress for you and your child(ren) when the time comes.

Sorry to put a downer on it but please do consider very carefully whether you can actually cope with a pig at home - even if your OH is used to dealing with them.
 
It would have to go back in a week or so, I wont get too attached!
It would be nice to give the little thing a chance before in 7 months time it goes to slaughter. Even though daughter is 3 she knows what its all about.
I couldn't keep it cos its a rare breed LARGE black
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I would have done this more before now if OH would have let me. Its more money for his work in the long run if they let me rear them till they are strong enough to go back
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I didn't like OH's comment about it being on OUR dinner plates in 7 months time
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From my dim and dusty memory, piglings have V sharp teeth. Might be worth stocking up on extra teats for the bottle.

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Yep pretty sharp teeth, been nipped a few times myself. Not sure how teats would stand up to them, so it probably would be wise stocking up on a few. Also might come in handy if you end up with any more runty piglets in the future. I hate newborn piglets, they appear far too delicate much better once they grow a little!
 
Piglets are useless when it comes to survival. Worse than sheep. Don't get your hopes up. Mine farrowed recently - had 18 piglets, only 12 survived. Apparently 25% of piglets die in the first few days of life.

Good luck though, x
 
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