Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

I have piggies!!! And I am exhausted! I haven't worked this hard in months... but it's a good tired.

The babies are the cutest things I've seen in a long time! OMG! And the sow is really tolerant of me, or she was really tired from the ride. They had her loaded in a crate in the back of their truck when I got there so it was simple enough to back up to their truck, open both tailgates and 'invite' her to move from their crate to my crate and VOILA! Easy peasy! I put the babies in a small dog crate, money exchanged hands, and I was on the road in about 15 minutes.

I get home and backed up to her pen. I pulled about 8 hay bales out of the barn and stack them in layers right under and behind my tailgate. I open the tailgate and the door to her pen, took the crate with her babies and sat them on the ground fully expecting her to follow and nope, nothing, not gonna move... So, I get some grain... she's not hungry. I pick up the babies so they'll squeal... she barely looks up. What the heck am I gonna do now?

I grab a rope and put it around her neck. Did that work? Let me just say that she's got a real fat neck and a real pointy head, lol. Rope slips right off. So, I loop it around her butt and pull and whaddya know - she moves about 2 inches. Not under her own power of course - it was all me. By now I'm getting pretty annoyed and even my neighbors know it... So, I crawl up in that cage with her and start shoving. I pushed her out of the cage, she never stands up.... I get her shoved onto the tailgate...she's just laying there. By now I'm thinking this pig is gonna die or something...she doesn't get upset, she doesn't stand up, she just lays there... So I shoved her off of the tailgate and she plops down on a hay bale just as pretty as you please. But does she move - nope. So, I shoved her down on to the next layer of hay bales - does she move - nope! By now I'm huffing and puffing and getting more annoyed by the minute when Her Highness finally gets up and hops off the last hay bale just like it was her idea.

From there I got her herded right into her pen and she goes and lays down in the shade. I get all the hay bales back in the barn when I turn around and one of the little piglets is out of the pen running around. Now, their pen is a pen inside a pen - so he's not really loose or in any danger - but he's not where I put him. This pen is made out of 4x4 cattle panels and these little critters can walk right through it. I spent the rest of my day re-doing their pen and a couple others. I pulled down all the hog panels that I could find in other areas and moved them into the new pig pen. Little stinker can't get through those. I got 3/4 of the pen done and by now it's pitch dark.... so I quit.

I came inside.
I got a beer.
Made a plate...had short ribs in the crock pot -yum!.
And here I am.
Tired, exhausted, dirty, (not hungry anymore) and about to just veg for an hour or so.

I'll get pics up at some point.

Happy Friday ya'll.

And where's the video of you unloading Miss Lard Butt?

That would have been priceless!

Yes, PRICELESS!!! Betcha didn't ask how they loaded it.

Next time put chains on the crate & lift it with the tractor front loader....now, let me tell you this. Once they get out and you trot around for a while, encouraging them to go where they belong, they will walk in & lay down for a nap -- while you huff, puff and cuss! Trust me, I know. keep a piece of about 1/2" PVC about 8ft long to "herd" them, sometimes tapping them to move along. It helps. And, smart!! Won't forget how/where they got out/in.

Sure are cute!! They REALLY respect a hot wire.

If my tractor would have started I woulda done that....but that's another story.... let's just say GRRRRRRR!

I did ask them how they convinced her to get in that crate and he said "she didn't have a choice." LOL - I like it! But, she's really very gentle. I can rub all over her and even put my hand in her feed pan while she's eating. She's also not real big - only about 120 lbs according to the previous owner. I dunno....maybe she'll grow some more?

So, all day Friday and Saturday she just kinda chillaxed (or was just majorly stressed out) but yesterday she came alive! Met me at the gate every time I walked out there. I had been kind of worried about her Saturday, she was pretty lethargic and even breathing a little heavier than I thought she should be. She kept laying up against her water trough and trying to tip it over so I got some water into a spot she had rooted out earlier and she hopped right in. I didn't think it was THAT hot, lol. But, we were in the high 70's all weekend. After that is when she really perked up.

Remember those giant squashes I had growing on the fence that I had pics of late last year? Well, I had a few of them left - they keep very well. She loves 'em. They each topped out at least 5 lbs, and yesterday she scarfed down half of one and looked around for more. I tossed her the other half this morning when I fed. I'm feeding her a little bit of a Sow and Pig pelleted feed, a touch of chopped corn, a touch of whole wheat, a couple boiled eggs, some goat milk that I found in the freezer and some frozen veggies from a couple years ago. I'm finally going to get my freezer cleaned out!

I've had a huge batch of pecans that I picked up fall of '14 stored in the garage. Most of 'em weren't real good - which is why I had so many left. The little male pigs that I picked up last week just love 'em. (Mom hasn't quite figured out that she's SUPPOSED to like 'em.) So, for the little guys I throw a bunch of 'em out all over their little field. Hunting for 'em gives 'em something to do all day and it's just kinda cute. They pick up those pecans in their mouth, crunch 'em around for a couple seconds and then spit out the shells. Ah-mazing, lol.

Hopefully in the next couple weeks I'll turn the little guys out into the pasture. I talked with the guy next door that loans me some pasture land (and has the pond on it) and he was ok with it. I told him they'd prolly waller out the edge of the pond, but he didn't seem to care. I guess we'll just have to see how it goes - he might change his mind real quick after he sees what they do.

Should be getting close on at least one of the does. Later this week will be 145 days from the first buck escape. Doesn't mean any does necessarily got bred then, but it's time for me to start watching pretty close. Only one of my does looks like she's even close, so I'll keep my eye on her. And, she's gotten her witchy attitude in place which for her is a sign that she's not loving life, or pregnancy, right now. So, fingers crossed that we'll have babies within the next couple weeks. I really hope so because I'm missing my goat milk! Coffee just isn't the same without it. And, I want to use some for the pigs too. That was a big part of my plan for getting 'em this time of year.

Better get to work now. Happy Monday ya'll.

Sounds like a really good adventure! Can't wait to see pics of the wee tiny ones!

Rain and storms this morning...yippee...ugh.

But, for your viewing pleasure - I present the two little bacon bits! And of course they're sideways... just tilt your heads to the right, lol.

These piglets are just soooo adorable! They are very friendly hogs. some of those big sow breeds will charge with little ones around -- been there

Can't wait until I have my sows farrow this summer. Of course, the cute wears off fast! I'll be looking to see them go!!

Right now, I have 28 new chicks to tend.

I was so tempted today. I was in TSC and they had chicks and peeps. I looked at them, but that was it.

AWWWWWWW!!!!! Wee bacon bits!!!!! So adorable, and really cool that the sow lets you be that close. That's how I like my animals!