Baby Girls Fighting = (

[Missbonbon]

I have had 2 baby sows living together (Did a friend a favour by taking them -Both 7 wks old)for 2 weeks now and today there was abit of teeth chattering going on but nothing more.
BUT now I have just caught them full on fighting, rolling around the cage having a proper go at each other, I had to pull them apart.
No blood drawn.

I have no idea why all of a sudden they are not getting on, the are living in a HUGE cage with masses of room and 2 of everything (Food bowls, water bottles, cubby holes etc).

So for now I have put a make shift divider in the cage (Plastic lid with a magazine stuffed down the side to stop them getting to each other.

Any ideas of whether I should try and introduce them again or is that it now.

If I put them back together I will not be able to see what goes on in the day as I work 9-6.

They are not related to each other.

 

[Tracyxx]

I really wouldn't risk putting them together again. It's unusual, but not unheard of, for young sows to fight. What about a mesh divider down the middle of the cage, if it's big enough? I have two boars living together this way as they'll tolerate each other but absolutely refuse to live in the same hutch. I'm not sure if you want to consider this either, but what about getting two older sows (unbonded) to pair off with the young sows? But I do understand you might not want another 2 guineas!

 

[Missbonbon]

Thanks, I do have more spare chicken wire mesh, so will do a proper divider tomorrow. The plastic lid was an emergency solution.
They are both bossy madams, so maybe their personalities just clash, never seen sows act like this though.

I do already have older sows but they are bonded and live happily together, so would rather leave them.

I will do the mesh divider, as I think putting them back together would end in disaster.

 

[Tracyxx]

I wouldn't move your older sows either, if they're settled.
I think the mesh divider is your best bet too. Wilbur and Bumble, my boars aged 5 and 1, drive each other mad when they're living together, but get on so well with the mesh divider. They sometimes even snuggle up through it p It's horrible when you see a full fight though, I hope you get sorted x

 

[aussiegirl]

Maybe you could take one of them to a shelter and get a different sow from the shelter to bond with the other one? If they are bossy you could take them both to the shelter and see if one of them takes a particular liking to any sows at the shelter! Hope that made sense...I understand that you probably want to keep them both but surely it's better to have a happy pair than an unhappy pair, even if they tolerate each other with the mesh divider. The divider is a good idea for the moment though Hope that helps hun xx

 

[jenny_h]

I had some babies that where fighting - all getting along fine for a few weeks then suddenly 1 started attacking the youngest - there was blood being drawn to. there wasn't any reason for it!
She went from being small and timid to really horrible to the other, 2 of my others have stronger personalities......anyway to cut a long story short after a few days of being separated, they are all back together and have had no more problems. I did have to keep re-trying them together - it was okay for a few hours then they would be split again, i had to do this for a few days and then finally they where all happy!
I had to keep trying as i generally really didnt want to get rid of any of them - loved them all so much! And it really did pay off! I reckon keep them split for a bit and then introduce them, i was doing it daily for about 5 days and touch wood they havent fought anymore and its been nearly 3 weeks i think!
x