orphaned litter

Question
QUESTION: our mama pig(who is not quite a year old) just had a  litter of 9- we knew she was too young to breed but she was a rescue pig and we got her like that.Anyway - she has refused the entire litter - she literally picked them up and threw them across her pen.
Is this normal behavior ? We are now doing our best to keep them warm and fed.... I'm not sure she let any of them suckle at all and have read that without the colsotrum they have a poor rate of survival.

ANSWER: If this is her first litter she may be scared and just not know what to do. Normally Momma pigs are very loving and protective of their babies.

Yes, colostrum is important, without it, babies can die quickly from diarrhea. If they get sick, they will need quick treatment. There's a list of pbp vets here http://www.farec.org/us-vets.htm

If Momma pig will not nurse them, the best substitutes are goats milk or sow replacement formula. Let them drink from a shallow pan. Newborns eat frequently, often every hour or so. When they are about 1 week old, start mixing a few starter pellets in with their milk.

Pigs and piglets get important nutrients from rooting in the dirt. When the babies are about 2 or 3 weeks old, they'll need access to fresh dirt or iron supplements.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: so if mama is just scared is there any way of getting her to accept them? we've tried several times but she reacts very violently - not normal for her at all.

Answer
If her milk has started to come in, she may take them back to nurse.

There is a chance she may never accept them as her babies, especially if she was taken from her own mother at a very young age. But she will accept them as companions.

Set the babies up with a warm Creep Area right next to her stall or area. Arrange the divider so that the babies can easily scoot underneath, back and forth between her area and theirs, but she can not get to them. She should be able to see and smell them through the barrier, though.

Put her in her side and the babies in their side, but don't let the babies in to her right away. Give them a little while, when she seems fairly calm, it's ok to let the little ones go into her section. Let the piglets decide when they're ready to venture over.

Momma pig will be a little upset at first, but adult pigs usually adjust to having piglets around pretty quickly. She will, without question, be the Top Hog in the group, and piglets are nimble enough to avoid her if she gets too rough. If she chases them, they can easily scoot back into the safe Creep Area. Momma pigs will knock piglets over with their snouties.

In the best case scenario, her milk will come in, and her and the babies instinctive nursing needs will take over. If not, keep the Creep Area nice and warm, give the babies lots of bedding. If Momma pig can't or won't nurse the babies, separate Momma from babies at feeding time for the first few weeks.