Introducing a male to an existing female group

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garfieldette

garfieldette

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I know from past experience that if you introduce a new female to existing female group that it is a delicate process which has to be done carefully and on neutral ground.

Is this the same if you introduce a neutured male to an existing female group or do they just accept his dominance?

I am just planning ahead a little and would like to consider offering a rescued neutured male a home with my three girls once I have built their new bigger C&C cage.
 
I have just gone through this :...
I added a rescued boar to my two girls.
it was slightly easier because he was a fosterling that was staying with me that I just couldn't give back :red so i adopted him, had him neutered and he recovered with me.
whilst recovering from the neutering he would have supervised playtime with my girls so the got to know each other quite well.

He's been in with the girls since Sunday night and all is well. I worried a little but they seem to accept him easily, it doesn't seem to have changed the girls dominance at all.

anyway long post over and i hope if/when you rescue a boar enjoy, i love having a trio more than i did a pair drooldrooldrool
 
I'm about to go through this! Sonny stays outside the run, whilst the girls are inside it. So he knows the girls a bit already. But we're getting him done hopefully next week, or the week after, so when we move all the piggies go together into a completely new home! we will give them supervised run time together after the four or five weeks are up for the final week, then they'll be together! dont think they'll have problems, Sonny adores our ladies! he's a total dope, so he'll fit in nicely with four bossy boots!
 
I introduced my neutered boar 2 weeks ago and it was the easiest bond, no problems at all. Bit of chasing and humping but the girls quickly put the males in their place so don't worry about that. Just make sure you have lots of space and yummy food for the first intro.
My boar lived next door for 6 weeks and I think this helped everyone get used to him - they were very interested at first but after 2 weeks they treated him like the others.

My sows used to squabble a lot - this has completely stopped because of introducing a boar. Go for it! :))

Much easier than introducing girls.
 
Forgot to say boars don't effect hierachy like adding another sow - boars are 'fluid' in the social structure and don't have a place - hence they are easy to add to a group and calm the sows (until they are in season anyway!)
 
Thanks everyone for your comments. So, from what you have said, it sounds as if I need to plan to have any new lad housed seperately for the first couple of weeks, somewhere close to them so they can get used to him without him being in "their space" before trying introductions?
 
My girls bonded sisters from rescue 18 months old, I introduced them to my boar it was so easy, I did it on the bathroom floor and just put them all together they were amazing there was no problems what so ever and they went straight into Freds cage...

I didn't have them housed next door or anything like that.
 
You can either introduce your boar straight away or keep him right next to the girls so they can sniff each other out beforehands.

The intro might be a bit less lively (chasing and humping) if they have had a change to get used to each other. However, I still would introduce on neutral ground.

Sometimes, older dominant sows that run their group with an iron fist can take some persuasion to accept a young male; but most introductions go absolutely fine. Look out for initial aggression (kicking, nipping) from sows, as a group of girls is usually any boys dream job (with a VERY few notable exceptions)! Once you're past that, you not worry any longer.

If you have an idea when your headsow is in season, you may profit from timing your intro on that day. It will be livelier, but the bonding is instant! Otherwise, don't be put out if there is no or very little interest or excitement between the two parties - it will change when the girls come into season.
 
My trio was bonded at the rescue before I got them. Mette-Marit is a very dominant girl as far as sows are concerned but she is man-crazy and doesn't give Bo any problems. We met another girl at the rescue when I bonded my trio with a fourth that has sinced passed the bridge, and that girl made Bo try to hide under Martha :)) I'm amazed at all piggie personalities!
 
Before our boar was neutered he was in a run next to the girlies' run, so they got to see him before he was introduced. He was then in a separate hutch in their shed. TBH I just put him in with the girls 3-weeks after he'd been neutered and there were no grumbles - apart from when he tried to court them. ;)
 
How long do you need to leave them before you introduce them, my patch was neutered 4 wheeks tomorrow, is he safe to go in with the girls. The vet said at least 2 weeks which I knew wasn't long enough but I didn't say anything:x:x
 
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