Good morning. I have some adorable photos of piglets sleeping on their mothers head. But look at Boo Blue first. How did he slip into his tweens without us noticinng.
Something has gone wrong with my editing settings and the whole screen is in miniature so small that i cannot see it. I am hoping that this is legible for you.
All is well now though we had a fright from one of the piglets who somehow tore a great rent in his skin,
The wound though bloodless was like looking into an unzipping leather coat. Straight to his perfect muscle.
I brought him inside and he had a rip in his side about one and a half inches long. Which is a lot on the tiny thing. Thankfully John had just arrived home from work so he held him while I sewed the cut together, I had called around but could not fine a suture needle and nylon, we are miles from a store to get surgical glue, I did not bother calling a vet though it was a saturday anyway, they would have laughed at me, but it would have been too late anyway. The wound was recent and still clean though gaping like a ripped curtain. So with a sterilised normal needle and some black nylon thread from the sewing basket after swabbing with iodine. I put in ten very untidy stitches. buttoning his little coat back up.
Amazingly the little fella just lay there for the emergency operation. I had to get him back to the pen fast before his mother rejected him. But when I went to put him back in the pen his Mother was in a towering rage at his removal. The little piglet dived back in with his brothers and sisters.. I hoped he would burrow in and hide the iodine smell. But she made a run for me.
Charlotte went for the fast disappearing arm I still had in the pen as I released him and showing me her teeth, screaming at me, then chose instead to knock my hand back out. Though I was on my way out anyway! She shouted and growled through the fence and roared at her babies to stay in the corner.
She was pacy and upset for quite a while so i chose to leave her alone for the night and not check them again.
I tiptoed out early this morning and all nine were asleep cuddled in with her so they must have had a good night. And Nine is still alive. I guess it has a name now. Though his wee life may be short.. I say he but in my intense and then controlled deeply silent panic I forget to even look and see if it was a boy or a girl.
That is all for this morning as i must find a way to reset the font size,. I cannot see what i am doing. I hope this does not publish in miniature as well! But there is only one way to find out! But I have no idea how to fix this. Ah well.
Have a lovely day. I am off to feed the Mother beast!
your frustrated friend, celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
75 responses to “A photo and a fright”
I only had five minutes this morning but I made a trip to the farmy to check on those babies! Celi, you just amaze me…now add veterinary surgery to your CV, although something tells me this wasn’t a first! Charlotte’s maternal instinct and protectiveness is fascinating to me, in particular as warning you, her greatest ally. I’m so glad you share as you do. It’s just so enlightening. I hope all is calmer today, and I’m pulling for Nine, and the eight others, too. Precious!
Celi, I think I have about five minutes to my name today (for blogging, that is) but I had to check on the babies. I’m so glad I did. They couldn’t be any more precious, and I’m really fascinated with Charlotte’s maternal instinct. It is interesting to me that with eight others to feed, she knew that Nine was missing, and even warned you, her greatest human ally, to back off! I can’t think of a better word than fascinated…I’d love to be a witness to their development, and I thank you for all you do in your busy life to include us. And you amaze me, too, with veterinary surgery a part of your CV. I hope the day goes very well and everyone can relax just a wee bit–I don’t actually know what “relax” looks like with so much animal care, but maybe mental rest. Cheers to Kupa, too–gorgeous photo!
Whew! What a lot of brave things you’ve gotten up to. I love all of the photos you put up today, especially Kupa and the chickens. I’ve been getting this hankering for a peacock and a peahen for our garden…
Oh, checking on Charlotte first thing. Whew! Another exciting day full of unexpected events on the farm.
Must gaze at that lovely last picture for a bit of calm.
(And I think WP is writing code again – a little odd right now in blogland)
Hope that Patches recovers in short order and without complications. Charlotte is quite the mom, not even letting YOU near her babies without a fuss.
Your post came through perfectly here. You wouldn’t happen to have just installed the “all new and not improved Windows 8”? I did last week & have found all kinds of issues using it & that my wordpress isn’t working quite the way it should.
I truly admire your skill stitching up the piglet. I sew a lot but can say I’ve never sewn up a pig.
Babies! They are adorable! Charlotte is a might overprotective, but that’s to be expected. *Big Smile*
Bravo to you for stitching up little nine. He/she and Charlotte are lucky to have you. And how grand to have such good blogly advice here on what to do and what not to do with mama/piglets. I’m not surprised at Charlotte’s reaction. All I could think about were wild boars and the instinct is very strong. Pigs are so smart, though, I am sure she will soon realize you were trying to help. Blue really does look like he’s grown a foot over night. He’s how old now? Surely only 3 or 4 months. Hope your day is peaceful and the piglet thrives.
You are right blue must be about 3 months now and he is getting bigger every day, i am sure I have never seen a dog grow this fast! c
Must be all the eggs he eats
Oh my gosh, I am so glad you are okay; intrepid momma Charlotte, no longer earns the title of a song, “Sweet Charlotte,”
stay safe and wonderful
Wow, that was quite pulse racing… to go from tall handsome Blue, the rear view of Kupa and the piglet-pies to a raging Mama Charlotte… I’m glad she just knocked your arm and carried on a bit, and nothing worse, to show you who is boss… learning curves indeed 🙂
Amazing what motherhood will do to a sweet friendly animal…or person. When my kids went to kindergarten I remember feeling like my mother-bear instinct came out.
I can’t believe you did the repairs yourself! I guess when you live in such a remote area you have to learn how to do EVERYTHING. Charlotte is a very protective mother and that’s a good thing. It makes me sad though for all those poor little darling mummy pigs in intensive piggeries whose babies are removed from them almost as soon as they are born – it’s not right! I hope you sort out the issues with your computer – probably more difficult to do then sewing up a piglet xx
Jan is so right about using a pig barrier! But be ever so careful as pig are extremely smart and wise. If you can have Charlotte stay with you while John checks the little piglet she will not deem you the enemy….although,she might John. If John would wipe the little piglet with a cloth wrung out with vinegar his smell will not linger.
Be very careful. VERY as in her world the piglets come first for now and ever more. Until you break them away for weaning.
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
How so very cute!
Brave work, Celi, and do be careful. Charlotte is proving to be a good mother, and that means fiercely protective. Poor little piggie. I hope s/he will heal fast.