Things can be interesting when you are dealing with animals.
Despite however intelligent animals may be, it can be difficult to convey messages to them or to get them to understand certain things. Our pigs and piglets are no different. Many of you may already know that the pig @smailer purchased for us recently gave birth to nine little piglets. Fortunately, all nine have survived for more than a week already.
Last week, though, one of out piglets, named "Bo-bo," was stepped on by his mother. Apparently her hoof tore open the skin on one of his hind quarters. We did some quick repairs, but taking care of accidents is only part of the issue. Ideally, we should strive to be preventing them as well.
It is not all that uncommon for mama hogs to step on or even lay on their piglets. This can not only cause injury, but sometimes also death. Since nobody wants a dead piglet, we figured that we should have a "safe zone" for the piglets. The "safe zone" is somewhere that the piglets can enter but the mother cannot follow. It is a place that the piglets can avoid any potential harm that the mama pig may accidentally inflict upon them. Apparently this can be a fairly common practice in modern pig raising.
I used some heavy panels that some neighbors had from a hog farming operation that they had taken down. The piglets can fit under and through it, but the mom is just too big.
OUR BASIC PLAN
Our basic plan was to turn the pen that our mama pig was in into a pen with three different sections. It would have an area for just the mama, a place for just the piglets, and a place for the mama and the piglets to interact, like when it was feeding time. That way, when the mom had no intention of feeding the piglets, or when the piglets needed to nap or not be feeding, they could each head to their own areas. Sure, that was the goal, but how do you let animals know and understand that? How indeed, we had even made this part of the pen for them before Bo-bo was stepped on.
FIGURING IT OUT - ANOTHER HOG VLOG
SUCCESS!!!
As you may have seen in the video, something that was very encouraging happened!
I was blessed on day six of their lives that they had already figured it out on their own. When I came down at some point to check on them, it was apparently nap time. All nine of the little piglets were fast asleep in their safe zone, completely out of harm's way. They had figured it out!
When I made the modified pen for them nine days ago I had no idea if it would work or if they would actually use it. Thankfully, they are! Hopefully no other piglets will end up like Bo-bo now.
The other STEEM-powered hogs were also enjoying a nap together. They looked so cute like that. Also, it seems like another female may be pregnant... but we are not sure yet. We will keep you posted!
As always, I'm @papa-pepper and here's the proof:
proof-of-piglets-figuring-it-out
Until next time…
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That's pretty genius, on your part building it and on the little piglets who know what to do!
Thank you for that. I am glad that it worked out and that they figured it out. Enjoy a full power upvote for making a real comment!
Thanks @kontora!
I really appreciate that thank you, hope to see those piglets grow big!
Who let the dogs (pigs) out!
Who? Who? Who?
I have a wild razorback over here in Hawaii. She has had 5 liters so far. She never steps on any of them just kicks their butts all day!
Very cool, and VERY CUTE!
Good info. We plan on adding a few pigs to our sheep farm in the near furure.
I was thinking about sheep too, but we may get some goats first.
This cute little pigs are amazing...take a rest baby piglets...papa-pepper is watching over you..😊😊
Thanks @bien!
Your welcome bro @papa-pepper
Wow! Very interesting how animals can be taught to do things like this! This brings me to the topic of will animals ever reach the intelligence of a fully aged human! With dogs their intelligence is of a child from 2-2.5 years of age, although that might seem quite young the smartest dog on the planet has the same intelligence of a 7 year old! And have you ever heard of Koko, a female gorilla that was taught by animal psychologist Francine "Penny" Patterson to use sign language and she interacted with them and did everything she was told using sign language! They got her pet cats and she mourned for weeks when they died! This is very incredible how animals can sometimes be so intelligent! Thank you for sharing this and please keep us updated on how things go!
I believe that animals simply do not have the capabilities to increase in intelligence like that. However, I still enjoy interacting with them.
never try to raise hogs without iron fencing...(I learned that the hard way)...concrete would also be nice.
I'm still rotating these, and then I plan on putting them out to pasture... we will see.
free range hogs are EXCITING...
Congratulations @papa-pepper!
Your post was mentioned in the hit parade in the following category:
I am jealous of the trees. I'm in Texas and new to the whole pig operation. We have 2 Berkshire moms, a Bershire dad and one hampshire / berkshire mom . We had 2 good litters. the third litter born during the storm did not make it. It was our fault . I didn't have her seperated. We are converting a Emu shelter and run into the pig area. But I like your set up. I'm going to take another look at our plans to see if we could benefit from your design... I'm going to follow you. The only thing we have to do different because of the heat is incorporate shelter and water / plus mud . I'm interested to know your feeding program... mine seems to be a little expensive. :D
Very good idea modifying an area for just the little ones. I used to raise a few hogs (Yorkshire mostly) for fun. Great post! :)
Cool. I bet you had fun with them.
We did!
Fascinating when nature works with us and understands when we are trying to help and not harm them, way to go @papa-pepper! Shared to show it works!
It has worked out well so far!
They are soooo cute 🤗
YES THEY ARE!
Really cute!
Nice piglets @papa-pepper! Looks like you have a good and safe setup!
They are getting bigger each day , looking very healthy
These are some very cute piglets ! Great photos by the way, And thanks for the share!
good post @papa-pepper
I love following you on your property. I'm always inspired to do a little more. You also make me want to get more animals.
My wife is like, "See, we should get pigs."
I love your little piggies and getting the updates on the babies. I am glad the little one wasn't hurt too bad, and I like your solution of giving them a safe space. I love these posts keep them coming.
I will keep them coming. It is always interesting around here!
Very nice photo
Wooow amazing ... great post and very special. I like your post @ papa-pepper.
Thank you!
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STOPHaha the piglet are cute and smart indeed. The more they grow, the more they will figure out a lot of things. @papa-pepper and @papa-pepper tribe must be prepared for action however am sure that our wild man will be up to the task
Pigs/piglets are very intelligent and they figure all kinds of things out rather quickly. :D They are soooooo cute too. :D Great video. I miss our pig but it sure turned out nice after we got it back from the butcher. :D
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Super cute and smart too. With a second pig possibly with piglets, perhaps in future, this will become a more permanent solution. Ingenious papa.
I think you should do a blog on your time management skills.
It's amazing that you can fit so many things into one day.
Sometimes my days pass like a breeze, like I zoned out or something. lol.
Nice that the piglets could figure out what to do.
The papa-pepper family keeps growing. It's a wonderful thing to follow.
Thank you for this post. This is a great idea and I am sure it could be adapted to fit many useful applications. And it was so obvious a solution..
Good post
hahaa smart lil piggies!!