Decided To Bond......

[rosie and bramble]

2 of the rescue mammies with another pair of girls i have as i prefer them all to be in groups. Put all 4 with nothing in the run on the grass, Blossom did a little bit of teeth chattering and within 5 mins it had stopped.
It has been 5 hours now and all seem to be getting on no problem so have introduced some pigloos and even now they are still getting on. Don't know if it is safer to move them into a run in the conservatory for the night to be sure or to just put them straight into a hutch ?
Whatever i do i will be putting 2 of everything in just to minimise any chances of them falling out

 

[Wiebke]

You can move them into the hutch if you leave enough time to observe whether there is a flare up of dominance in the more familiar territory. I usually leave out any hideys with only one exit during the first 1-2 days to make the inevitable throwing out of underpiggies less extreme.

 

[rosie and bramble]

I put them straight into the hutch with a big pile of hay 2 water bottles and 2 feed bowls. There was a little bit of chasing but then all seemed to settle. I still haven't put any pigloos in, they do seem to be staying in their own little pairs all though all were flat out asleep so must be relaxed They will be going out in their run when the grass dries. Will be interesting to see if moving them again causes any unsettlement.

 

[Wiebke]

I would leave them to settle in together first; every new territory will spark a bit more dominance. You will find that two well bonded pairs will never lose their connection, but during the intro phase that means that you not have to worry about outsider issues. Good that all is going pretty smoothly!

 

[rosie and bramble]

@Wiebke I am also thinking in a couple of weeks Georgies baby boy will need to be moved out leaving her, her 2 baby sows and her companion. How will i introduce them to this group ? will it be best to leave until the babies are much older ? will it be to much too soon ?

 

[Wiebke]

You can start short meetings or next-door at any time, so they get to know each other. Personally, I waited until my surprise baby was weaned before I introduced her and her mum to the big group, which took four days - and that even though mummy was at heart a "groupie" piggy and her sister had already joined the big group after going after the nearly weaned baby a bit too savagely.

Babies will usually just fit in at the bottom, but newly weaned sows lose their protected privileged status on top of the hormonal changes, so it is a tough time for them and generally the most difficult time to bond sows. You have to see how it goes, and if necessary take it very slowly. Things will settle down eventually.