I'm baaaaaack! And yes, it was a long drive, but it was nice to spend a couple hours with DD and the grands. Got up this morning and left there before 8. Got home and literally - first thing I did even before going in the house to pee, lol (long drive) was go check on the gilt. She was busy nest building, pawing the hay, and totally ignoring my presence. I came back to the house (peed) changed clothes, got a drink of water and went back out. She had three on the ground already! In less than 10 minutes or so. I stood around and a few minutes later # 4 is here....waited a few more minutes and #5 made her appearance. Unfortunately #5 is not gonna be ok. She's a tiny little runt and one back leg is deformed. She ended up crawling away from the mom so her instincts aren't right either. I'm hoping I don't have to do the deed. She was pretty close to being gone when I came back in the house to get something going for dinner. I'll check again in a bit.
So far, little gilt is a good mama - but I think she's still in that 'farrowing trance'. She didn't care that the dogs were walking around, that I was in there or nothing. She only responded with a soft grunt or two - to her own mother sow - walking in and laying beside her on the other side of the fence.
I have a tendency to try to "save" everything that has an issue. Sometimes that's not really the best thing to do. A couple years ago I had THE cutest buckling born with a deformed front leg. He could do pretty well if I stood him up...I was just sure that he'd learn to hop around on three legs and make somebody a pet wether or at least make it to freezer camp. After a few days his mama rejected him so I put him on a bottle... Little critter just didn't get better. He could stand, and even hop a little if someone stood him up - but he could NOT get himself up off the ground. After a month, when I was really attached to him - we had to put him down. I think that was my final lesson in trying to save the un-save-able.
Better get back outside...
