MOUNT GREENWOOD — Plenty of watchful eyes are focused on an expectant sow at the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences in Mount Greenwood.
Sugarbeet, a roughly five-year-old sow, was originally expected to give birth Monday, but hasn't yet. The whole affair is being live streamed from the school's barn at 3857 W. 111th St. on the Far Southwest Side.
"She tends to sleep a lot, so it is not very exciting right now," said Samantha Kujawa, an animal science teacher at the magnet school.
The school welcomes an expectant sow each year as part of its curriculum. The students observe her during her gestation period, which is roughly 115 days, Kujama said Monday.
"Her average litter size has been 13," said Kujama, adding that because Sugarbeet is an older sow she may have fewer piglets this time around. She also said some sows can take up to 120 days before giving birth.
The live stream went online Thursday, and Sugarbeet's audience continues to grow. Several local elementary schools have tuned in, and there's even a section allowing visitors to vote on their favorite names.
Thus far, the top names include: Truffles, Osa, Daren and Pumba.
Last year, a sow named Peppa Pig gave birth to a dozen piglets at the school. Seven of the baby pigs survived the birthing, and one was accidentally crushed by his mother days later.
