We moved our pigs from the old barn and they are in the horse trailer temporarily. We have a gate that divides the hauling compartment. They were in front of the gate next to the living quarters. Pork Chop, the sow, was able to come across the gate, quite a jump for a pig, and she landed on her head in an empty 55 gallon feed drum. I went to feed them at lunch and found her. I don't know how long she had been on her head but it looked to be a good while. I had fed them late the night before. I can't figure why the drum didn't topple over. We got her out of the barrel but she is in a rough shape. Disoriented which is quite understandable. She is coming around. She can walk a bit but her back is a bit crooked. She is eating just a bit and drinking. I hope she gets allright. Pigs are not the favorite of my animals and they are a bit hard to deal with at times being so hard headed but I sure don't have any ill will towards the poor little girl. Please say a prayer for Pork Chop.
Freak accident
Oh ouch...I hope she's getting better...
Oh No! I love pigs (of course I don't have to take care of any). I hope a good night's sleep puts her right.
WOW!!! That must have been a jolt on you when you first walked in an saw her, not to speak of how terrifying it must have been for her. I'm sure glad she did not suffocate under her own weight. I also hope the weight did not throw her out of alignment permanently. Haystack.
Poor Pork Chop! I'm always surprised how well pigs do jump, but I would never have thought she could have gone over a trailer partition. How big is she? I think if she is eating there is a good chance she will be ok. I too am very fond of pigs and I do look after them daily.
Poor Pork Chop indeed! How is she this morning? And how did you get her out of the barrel? That must have been quite a struggle, to turn it over and free her without doing any more damage to the poor thing! I hope you had help!
CajuninKY, I do hope your Pork Chop recovers okay.
Donna
I had to get DH to tip the barrell. She was very crooked for a day and she is still sore but she is doing much better. She can walk better though she is favoring her left front. That is the one she layed on all night. She can stand for longer periods and she is drinking well and eating more. I am considering giving her a few penicillin shots as she has some cold in her left eye. She may have gotten some feces in it while in the barrell. I am also worried that she may develope chemical pneumonia if she inhaled any feces. Have any of you had experience with giving penicillin to pigs. I'd love to hear about it. She is sleeping on some old mouldy hay. I think the warmth it generates has helped her muscles.
I have given pen shots to pigs. I just put them either under the skin of the neck or into the muscle at the back of the thigh. The dose will be on the instruction sheet that comes with the penicillin.
Thanks. Her eye has cleared and she was doing much better yesterday evening. She is still a bit crooked but getting around well enough and eating very well. I put her some fresh hay to lay on. I don't think she will do anymore jumping any time soon. Poor old gal.
So glad to hear she's better. I am very partial to pigs.
Pork Chop is doing well. Still moving a bit stiffly but she is walking around much more now. Her back seems to be not quite so crooked. She is eating like... well, like a pig. LOL Her eyes are clear and bright.
Hurray for Pork Chop!
We have prayed for her. That may seem silly to some people but I think what is important to us is important to God because we are important to God.
I think so too. And I think He must be very pleased with you for caring so much about her welfare.
I really do.
Late to this thread, but I'm glad to hear Pork Chop is better! What a horrible accident.. I'm so glad you saved her.
I'm sorry
I know it was tramatic
and I feel so bad saying this
forgive me
but i have to say it
Is that how they got canned ham?
sorry
still giggling
Since Pork Chop seems to be ok I do think the whole episode was rather funny. Head first into a drum - what are the chances?
The weird thing is that the drum never tipped over. She is longer than the drum. Just a freaky thing. I took a good look at her today. Her back is straight now. She was even rearing up on the tailgate of the trailer. The ankle of her right front is swollen and she favors it but she is doing great considering what could have happened.
LOL. Canned ham!
too true!!
It seems to have settled them both down. They are easier to feed now. No pushing and fighting with me or each other. Now instead of having to smack them, I can pretty much just talk to them. Spare Rib has calmed down and doesn't push either. I was afraid he would take advantage of her weakness and shove her around but he hasn't done that.
A woman actually died last year in Santa Fe, having gone head first into a 55-gallon drum with a bit of water in it when no one else was home.
Pork Chop was lucky it wasn't your rain barrel!
That is scarey. I've heard of toddlers doing that in the mop bucket or the commode.
Many folks wouldn't believe it, thinking a full grown woman ought to be able to tip over a drum, but obviously it's tougher than it looks... and the husband had an alibi, nothing was stolen... you coulda been called to give expert testimony: if a big ol' sow can't tip out of a barrel, neither could a woman.
Tragic, though. =o(
I thought it really strange that she wasn't able to tip that barrell. I guess all her weight or most of it went to the bottom of the barrell.
Just found this thread and I'm so happy to hear that Pork Chop is healing up ok! I do wonder though if she was trying to fly?
I hope she won't be trying it again any time soon.
You're thinking she's learned to look before she leaps?
=0)
I hope so. It was a scarey thing. She was crooked as all get out for a few days. I thought maybe her back was sprained. I wouldn't have given you a nickel for her life. She looked that bad.
I expect 'canned ham' crossed her mind too, and she was bound and determined to straighten up and fly right, as my daddy used to say.
She was looking really good last night.
=o)
Pork Chop is doing very well today. She even made an escape from the trailer. I had to get ahead of her and turn her around as she headed uphill to the road. The ingreat stepped on my toe. She finally went back in. Hopped up in there without any help and put her snout back into the feed bucket. She is hardly limping now. The exercise likely did her good.
lean meat... free range... you, not the hog. LOL
Happy Thanksgiving, Cajun!
Thanks. It was a great day. I have so very much to be thankful for.
I have to post this : ^_^
"Ham and Eggs: just a day's work for a chicken, but a lifetime commitment for a pig. "--Author Unknown
Fun Quotes from DavesGarden..
http://davesgarden.com/gq/
I amso glad Porkchop is getting better. They are tough sometimes.
Thank God, for helping her make it alive.
RRM
She hardly limps at all now.
rentman -that's too funny...
very glad pork chop is mending apace...still. funny