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Posts Tagged ‘pigs’

Pigs

This week has included several “funnies.”

As some of you know I am raising a couple of pigs, Henrietta and her un-named sister.  The girls now average 90-125 pounds, much heftier than in the picture! 

They really have been good pigs.  I have had no problems with them escaping their pen…until this week.

Yesterday, my husband had taken the tractor further down the property, away from the barn.  At the same time I took advantage of the quiet.  I busied myself with wiping down the feed/milk room refrigerator.  As I stepped out of the barn to get away from the bleach smell I heard my husband shout something. 

Did I hear him correctly? Did he say something about the road?

I looked up at the road (above the steep barn driveway) and saw a couple of red blurs run past the guard rail. 

There was Henrietta and her sister working their way down the road! They were high-tailing!

I am not a fast runner, but somehow I got up the driveway like a sprinter.  All I could think of was, “Insurance, dead pigs.”  The liability!

A pick up truck had come up the road.  Thankfully it was a farmer.  He knew to stop in the middle of the road and sit.

I circled around, clear to the other side of the road, and quickly coaxed the pigs back down the driveway.  

One pig hurridly ran to the barn and found the gloriously large pan of cat food.  She was content. 

On the other hand, the huge rear-ended Henrietta had other plans.  And the comedy began.

Up the embankment she went.  Up I went as well.  Back down we went.  Up we returned.  Down we returned.  I am talking about some work here! And then I started giggling.  It became funny.  That darn pig!!!

I finally got the girls in the barn.  Henrietta sat down on her rear end  like a dog.  She looked tired.  No snorts.  Every once in a while she would stand up and walk a few feet, and then plop back down again.   

Who would have ever thought those short legs, and those fat rear ends could pick up such speed?

Truckin’ on down the road…there she goes!!!! All Henrietta needed was a knapsack.  Ha ha ha!

By the way, completion to the barn work should happen by sun-down today.  With running two businesses, and the farm, we get sidetracked easily…especially when…we chase pigs!

Have a beautiful day!

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Today I arrived home a bit late.  The animals knew I was late.  I do believe they have internal sun clocks. 

The deep glare of all of the hungry critters, accompanied by the time I spent away from the farm (enjoying a beautiful countryside ride), brought out sheer appreciation of my farm life this evening.

They  were squealing…

Goats and Critters 007

Henrietta and Friends - Growing!

Caleb, our great Pyrenees mix, said…

Mom...I have done a good job today...I am hungry too! See me do my dance?!

I have been a good guard dog...now I am dancing for my food!

The cats were lined up at the gate…ready for warm goat milk…

Goats and Critters 009

More cats in the feed room…

Goats and Critters 013

Protecting the feed sacks...looking for a "live" snack...

Come on…are you going to feed us or take pictures all evening????

Goats and Critters 006

Left Camille (nubian), Right Carmella (nubian), Frosted ears in front (nubian/boer) Ms. Red

And the beautiful nubian that is finally beginning to grow…

Goats and Critters 002

Amelie - Whom greets me with kisses on the chin and a nubian hum every day.

And those that seem to be expanding way too much…a boer doe that looks ready to pop…could not possibly have been bred in June!

Goats and Critters 011

Valentine - Going to need her own personal electric scooter soon!

What a troop they are! I love them all. 

Have a wonderful Friday!

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Piglets Are Growing

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Hungry Little Piglets

 
Piglets are about as difficult to photograph as kid goats.  They do not want to stand still, especially while eating.  Blur!
 
The piglets are growing by leaps and bounds.
 
Henrietta is queen of the trio.  She lets out a little squeal when she sees me at dinner time.
 
Like her little curled tail?
 
Misc 003

Henrietta Piglet

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The Piglets Just Arrived

The Piglets Just Arrived

Have you ever tried to tell a story but couldn’t get beyond the giggles well enough to talk?

I couldn’t get beyond the giggles to start this post.

Saturday morning we picked up the piglets. 

When we arrived at the pig farm the owner climbed into the pen.  All of the piglets were asleep, practically curled up under the straw.  Not for long.

Within moments there were little piglets running everywhere. 

It did not take long for the man to grab the male (the black and white piglet).  He carried him by his back legs over to me.  The piglet was still, calm as it could be.  I sensed that was a good way to carry a piglet, I could just tell.

What did I do?

I put my hands on the piglet, started to turn him over like you would a goat kid.  That was smart…very, very smart.  The piglet immediately went into action.  Squirming…almost out of my hands.  The man and my husband snickered, and luckily, between the two of them, caught him.

The two female piglets were not so easy to catch.  They ran through the mud for at least 20 minutes.  The owner had mud up and down himself, including in his eyes. 

When we arrived home with the piglets we backed the truck up to the temporary pen.  The first two came out of the crate easily, but the last one escaped our grasp.  I am telling you, the statement about something being slicker than a greased pig is absolutely, without a doubt, true! They are fat, smart, and quick.

Down the third piglet went, out of our hands, on the wrong side of the fence.  Across the lot she went. 

I have no idea how I did it, but I corralled her.  I guess years of catching goats taught me something.  It didn’t teach me how to keep my hands on a piglet, that’s for sure…tee hee.

Caleb, our pyrenees mix, is having a fit watching over his new piglets.  He has not left their side.  He does not know that the pigs are moving to their own set up in 3 or 4 days.  Temporary situation, sorry Caleb…you have goats to take care of.

Have a wonderful Sunday!

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 AA035400 photosearch.com piglet

With an oink, oink here…and an oink, oink there…Old MacDonald had a farm…E…I…E…I…O!

My husband took me out to the pig farm today.  I selected two female piglets.  The male piglet is coming from another farm.  It is not good to breed brothers and sisters in the pig world.

Pigs are affectionate?! Pigs are smart.  I saw it, or else I would have never believed it.

Mr. Red, the duroc sire, is a big boar.  When the wife called him out of the barn, Mr. Red stuck only his nose and ears out.   But that was enough for my first glimpse.  To self I said, “I thought pigs were smaller than that! That boy is huge!” Once the wife started to pet some of the other pigs, Mr. Red emerged.  He wanted attention too.

Ms. Raindrops, the hampshire mother, is a large off-white haired sow.  She, like the sire, loves attention. 

The piglets are 6-8 weeks old.  They have recently been weaned.  I will pick them up in about a week.

Now…and my friends, you need to help me here…I am NOT going to keep any of the piglets that are born in the future.  They are going to be sold.  I am not going into a full-scale pig business.  If I keep one, it will go to the freezer.

I promise!

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