The day was toddling along like it does. 
The new lambs saw their first sun.
Though it was still a wee bit chilly.
Look at this cheeky baby, lambs just hit the ground running.
Whereas kittens hit the ground sleeping. 
Then we received the call that Charlotte had completed.. um.. relations with the boar (witnessed – like royalty) and was ready to come home. So we hitched up the trailer and raced over in high excitement to escort Her Royal Pregnantness home but she was Doing a Daisy and making sure we all knew that she was in a brilliantly bad mood.
She barked all the way home and once she was released she immediately yelled at Sheila for letting the house get all messy, kicked her out into the yard and proceeded to do the housekeeping. Then she ate everything in sight, drunk half a bucket of water and went to bed.
When I went out to do the first of the night feeds she had let Sheila back in and they were both fast asleep in the deep straw. 
I had a cool discussion with the swine herd when he asked me if I had a farrowing crate. No I said, I have a lovely big pen with plenty of room for everyone. She will kill the piglets he said, lying on them. You have to keep her in the cage for at least a week, there is room for her to lie down and the piglets come and go, he said.
If she kills her piglets she is a bad mother and won’t be bred again. I said. I will give them plenty of space. We will do it the natural way. We have room.
You can bring a crate into the barn, he said. They are so heavy the pig cannot move them though, he said. They are made of iron.
I gave him two big jars of honey. He would not accept money for the stud fee. He is a kind man really, but different, with other ideas. I am sure he meant well. And I am also sure that he thinks I am bonkers, but he thinks it kindly. We are different that is all.
Ah well, I said, not wishing to continue the conversation. We climbed back into the red truck with our honking pig in the trailer and looked at each other. What did the old farmers do, John said. I am pretty sure they did not bring farrowing crates across on their wagons.
The pig builds itself a nest of straw and sticks, I said.
Make sure we save her a couple of bales. Said John, putting the truck into gear. This pig is going to need a pretty big nest.
Good morning. Everyone was in bed early yesterday, the day had been coated in white stars and sunshine, and the full moon turned the night into a paradise of gently snoring softness. I was full of contentment as I crunched over the ice with my bottles of warm milk doing my rounds. TonTon carrying the torch beside me.
Put a circle around June 17 for Charlotte. This will be her time, give or take two or three days either side. A pig is pregnant for three months, three weeks and three days. About.
Have a lovely day. We have another gorgeous sunny day in store, I might let the lambs out for a gallop in the fields. But first the milking.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
62 responses to “Charlotte came home and she is in a right mood!”
When I worked on a farm in college, the farrowing house was the saddest place in the world. Good for you for letting her figure things out the natural way. Sometimes adding a low rail against the wall that is sturdy enough for her to lean up against can prevent her from rolling over on them accidentally. We do that with dogs because the wee ones go everywhere, and a first-time mom sometimes doesn’t have it all figured out yet.
I have read about this rail, and was wondering how it worked, I shall create something like this.. c
It allows enough space for the babies who are lying behind her for warmth to stay near her without being crushed. They called it a pig-rail, I believe.
Good Morning Ceclilia, Wow so much to think about when you are raising animals. I would be stressing over all the decisions you need to make. I do however love kitties and seeing them bright eyed makes me smile this evening. Hoping you are doing well. Take Care, BAM
Morning Bam, I am so glad your comments are getting through again.. c
Those Farrowing cages don’t look friendly …. Will Sheila accept the new piglets? Laura
Hi Cecilia,
Sounds to me like Charlotte is glad to be home and the lambs will love the frolic I’m sure. You have a glorious day and enjoy the sunshine. We have another ice-snow storm coming in tonight. I’m really looking forward to spring all the time. I’m also ready to make some maple syrup if Mother Nature will just cooperate.
Rita
You must be relieved that Charlotte is home bad temper and all. We also placed a board rail out about a foot from the wall because our sow was so large. That moon made it like daytime last night.
We only lost one piglet to squashing during our pig breeding phase, and mum was a first timer. It happens occasionally, but is still preferable to a farrowing crate. The sow who had 15 piglets her first time didn’t squash one, even though she was the size of a wee hippopotamus! She just lowered herself to the ground more slowly, giving her large family time to get out of the way!
Christine
It is good that you can disagree and respect each other and be kindly to one another.
We put a raised board in the corner so the piglets had a place to get out of the way — I am sure Charlotte is happy to be home again and she will be a good mother!
I had a pig farming friend – a believer in doing things the natural way too, and his pens all had a rail all round for piglet haven! Congratulations to Her Royal Pregnantness – entitled to a bit of a moody until her hormones settle down!
I hope it warms up soon – for you as well as us!
aww welcome home to Charlotte! So glad to see… even if crabby, that she’s home and well 🙂
No wonder Charlotte was grumpy..she has lost her virginity to a bloke she did not know…might have been fun..but then she comes home to an untidy house…naughty Sheila…maybe when she has little piggies to cuddle she will think that it was all worth the effort.
Hi Celi! After we artificially inseminated the pigs Jack built a very nice….even nicer than their outside shelter….farrowing house, in duplex style so that each pig would have it’s own little house. It doesn’t have doors to close, so the momma can come and go as she pleases. And I guess the piglets can too? We are new at this you see, and our very old, small barn cannot accommodate them. Anyway, when it got cold, Jack opened up one of the duplex sides and the two happily moved in to snuggle in the hay out of the cold. We know that the insemination did not work with Bernadette, but we are still keeping our fingers crossed that Roxie is pregnant. So happy Charlotte is!!! xo
A farrowing crate? Yikes. I didn’t like the looks of that. I don’t blame the sweet thing for being cranky after being locked up with that filthy beast away from home. Ha! 😉
i would be grumpy too if i had to mate with that PIG! haha…can’t wait to see the piglets.
Cecilia,
A board around the pen would be a great help especially the corners. Don’t forget that this is Charlotte’s first crack at motherhood. Think of all the questionable things we did as a tired first time mom . Usually when the sow decides to lay down, she goes down and if a little piglet isn’t quick enough it is toast. If Charlotte is flopper downer or a leaner on the side of her pen, the risk is greater. We had pigs for a couple of years when I was a teenager (they were not near as well behaved as yours). Did make for some great stories though I wasn’t impressed at the time lol. The first litter we lost about half when the momma laid on them, she was a flopper. She had a large pen, but her and the piglets liked one corner and that was where they were when she decided to take a rest. She took good care of her piggies otherwise. By the time the second sow had piglets dad had outfitted all three pens with a bumper board and no more piglets were lost to crushing, That is why farrowing crates were invented, to protect the babies. I don”t know how often the crushing of piglets happened when sows were totally on pasture all the time, but it is quite common when they are in a pen, even a large pen.
Forgot to add that as I remember it the board was at least 6 inches wide (probably wider). This gives the piglets room even if momma pig spills in under the board a bit. It was made from lumber that was on the farm, so it was probably an leftover plank from the barn siding. It also needs to be set high enough that the little pigs can be upright under it. You could probably use a farrowing crate for an idea of the height of the board. It seems like after the first week the piglets are much more aware and quick so the risk isn’t as great.