What a night

As Dave was feeding the hogs yesterday afternoon he discovered had gone into labor and delivered 2 dead piglets by her waterer.  He called me and I went out to check on her.  We got her to lie down and watched her for about a half hour during which she was pushing but nothing was happening.  I had to put my hand inside her and felt the piglet right away but it was stuck.  I tried and tried but couldn't pull it out.  Dave finally put his had inside her and after some twisting and turning he was able to hook his fingers around the ears and pull it out. 

An hour and a half later we went back and this time pulled out 2 babies that were backwards.  The second one was still alive which was a major miracle.  We brought that one into the house so that she didn't crush it as she was still in labor and trying to push more out.  Throughout the night we went out and pulled 1 more out of her. 

This morning we took her miracle baby and put it with Miss Hamp who is a proven excellent mom and the babie is doing great.  For now the pigletless sow is resting comfortably.  She will not be staying on the farm as her insides are too tight for her to give birth. 

This morning when we took the baby to Miss Hamp we also discovered another new mother gave birth over night.  I was able to count 2 until she came at me and ordered me out of her pen.  Dave was able to count 4 before she ordered him out of her pen.  So we last night we had 1 lose her litter and another that will be a great mom.  Life on the farm comes with both life and death.