How Many? Best age to add to young pair?

[AKCG1]

Hello everyone, new user here but have gotten a lot of great advice from searching around here. I have a question that I can't seem to find the answer to. I have 2 young female pigs one is 1 month the other is 4months. I have had them appoximately 10 days and just finished a 13 sq ft c&c cage bottom with 1x2 loft. They have been in the cage for 3 days.

The pigs are doing well and get along, the younger one is the hyper one and will try to mount the 4 month old, but there is no fighting and they just run around. They get along but have only known each other for about 8 days.

I would like to add a third pig, but don't know what the best way to do so would be. Is it better to add the third now? Since the pigs have not been living together for a long time would this be better or worse? Should I wait until these two are bonded and try to add a third? I figured it would be to my advantage since they are relatively new to each other.

Secondly, what age should the third be ? I feel like my young 1 month old pig would try to challenge an older one , but maybe not if there's a size difference. Or should I try to get one that is younger like my two (between 1 and 4 months)

I'm okay with waiting on the third if that's what the best bet is, but I just thought since I want 3 anyways, I would ask if its better to get her sooner rather than later.

Thanks in advance everyone !

 

[bpatters]

Have you turned them over and compared their private parts to make sure they're both female. Most one month old females don't do much mounting of other pigs.

If you're going to add a third, do it sooner rather than later. And the personality of the pigs matters far more than the age. I'd suggest finding a good rescue that would let you bring your two in for a meet-and-greet and let them pick out their own new buddy.

 

[Soecara]

Personally I would go ahead and get a third to introduce as soon as possible. See if your local rescues have any single sows up for adoption and if they will allow you to bring in your current two for a meet and greet so you can see how they get along, while this doesn't guarantee you a peaceful trio it will at least tell you if they absolutely hate each other from the get go. Age doesn't really matter with sows.

Before that though do double and triple check you do in fact have two sows, it is a little unusual for a 1 month old sow to be mounting the other as normally their first heat cycle and hormones don't kick in for sows until they are at least 6 weeks old.

 

[AKCG1]

Thanks for the replies! They are both female for sure, the one month old has only done it once ( that I've been watching ). Maybe she was curious and just trying to get on the other's back? I'll keep an eye out.

I'll look around my area and see if there is a single sow. I'm just wondering if I should be looking for a more upbeat girl or one that's a but more mellow. I guess that's why I should have them meet first