Ruby is due to farrow (have piglets) any day now. We actually thought that she would have them this past weekend, but she did not. She has a huge round belly and is obviously uncomfortable, but no other signs of impending birth.
I have spent the past two nights (and days) checking on her about every hour. I don't think that she will need my help, especially since she is more experienced in birthing piglets than I, but I want to be there for moral support. Watching her move around her pen brings back memories of those last few hours before giving birth and I can't help but feel for her.
She spends her days lounging in her mud pool, drinking copious amounts of water, and sleeping in her now completed shelter. I am hoping that as the weather cools this week, she will be more comfortable. But at the same time, I am hoping that she delivers before too long. This waiting is killing me.
We anticipate a fairly large litter. The last litter Ruby had included fifteen piglets, twelve of which survived. There were some problems with her not producing enough milk - only four of her teats "worked." I think that this may have been due to malnutrition. She was bought from someone who fed her only bread and citrus...not a diet that will keep a pig healthy. We have had her on good grain feed for the duration of this pregnacy and it already looks like she has milk swelling in most, if not all, of her teats.
I went to the feed store yesterday and bought a bottle of oral iron solution. Piglets tend to be anemic when born and while I wanted to use an injectable (the feed store didn't have any), the oral equivalent will work just fine. We have also been keeping Ruby on a free choice grain diet for the past few days. We want to make sure that she has all of the energy she needs to bring these babies into the world.
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