(Doesn’t she look like she’s wearing a luchadore mask? So cute!)
The birthing went really smoothly, with all the piglets healthy and of similar size, and coming out pretty quickly (four within half an hour, at one point!).
Big Mama did great.
We mostly just stood back and watched.
They all came out with less than an hour between each other — longer than that means we start to worry and assist. Dad would make sure their noses and eyes were clear as soon as each one was out, and that was all.
Piglets are pretty wobbly and weak when they first come out, but it doesn’t take long for their instincts to kick in! Right away they start to root and suckle, the piglet method for nursing.
It takes a while longer for them to actually find the right place to do this, and a while more before they figure out how to latch on, but that doesn’t slow them down any! Although they do tend to nap a lot, too… Being born is tiring work!
Once they get their legs sorted out, it doesn’t take long before they start exploring their new world.
Newborn piglets are velvety-soft, and irresistibly cute.
The happy family.
Ten live births (7 girls, 3 boys), and a proud healthy tired-out mama.
In Which I Experiment with Blogging. 