Pig Swap
Yesterday we took Poppy across the way to Manu and retrieved the twins – Molly and Tahiti bringing them back to the Home Farm. But before we did this, as usual, we had to take two steps back before we took the one step forward. So the girls and I repaired all the fences Poppy had gone under and then released the Plonkers out into the wild. This left the big pig pen free for the twins. Poppy just hitched a ride to the West Barn as she wandered past, who knows where she had been sleeping all day but now she is Across The Way in a pen next to Manu waiting for her “time to come.” And not terrible impressed with the Closed gate rule!
The Berkshires were so happy to be released into a field that they chased each other then chased Boo then came back for some scratches before chasing each other some more.
Boo ran round and round in circles as the piglets chased him and if a dog could have been laughing he would have been a laughing dog
Later in the evening, a bad storm came screaming in and I had to run out into the rain and terrible wind with my apron and kitchen shoes on to try and herd the lost pigs back into the barn. They had not found their shelter yet and were very spooked by the storm – not answering my call or maybe not even hearing it above the wind and crashing trees. I sent Boo out and seeing him they raced after him following him back into the sunroom of the barn. So their games had been a kind of practice.
Ton was hiding in the wardrobe – he becomes invisible when there are storms.
Theo the pea chick orphan has decided that he is not going to live in his dog house. He just cries and cries. And twice yesterday he shape-shifted out of his dog carry box t peck around the . So I made him a house of cement blocks on their sides, that he can go and hide in if the big chickens get too mean – he has his heated Table Mama connected to the bricks as well, his water and some food, but is free to move in and out, and that worked very well yesterday. In the storm I ran from group to group and when I checked him he was right in the center of his little brick house a little shadow of a chick tucked up warm but still within spitting distance of a large group of red fowl.
It was so hot yesterday that Lady Astor spent most of the afternoon drifting through her coffee bags in the yards. The bags brush the flies off her back. I need to find a way to lower some so that shortie Alex can take advantage of the bags too.
Today we will bring Aunty Del back to the home farm and maybe Aunty Anna if I can separate her out. Lady Astor always behaves much better when she has Aunty Del with her. And Aunty Anna needs to get used to me. But we will see.
I hope you have a lovely day.
Love celi
31 Comments on “Pig Swap”
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They must be the happiest pigs in the world!
Yes! And their designated field is big so I am hoping they will get lost in the long grass.. c
I bet they do!
Oh, the blissful grins on those piggy faces! Lovely chunky, healthy little plonkers. Lady A’s udder seems much more normal now, so it looks as if you’ve got her problem under control. Is Theo going to go and live with Geraldine and the turkeys when he’s a bit bigger, or is he already spoken for?
I suspect that Theo will live in the chook house with these chickens – I will take a picture of his Egyptian neighbourhood for you today – it still makes me laugh!
Lovely! I’ll look forward to that. And better an attachment to chooks than dogs or turkeys.
It looks like the plonkers and Boo were having a great time, so sweet.
Boo loves to play – luckily he never leaves my side or he would be out there playing with them all day – and that could lead to trouble!
I love the coffee bag idea. I wonder if it would work with horses?
Yes! I got the idea from a man who had horses – I just wish i could arrange something that would brush the flies off their legs as well – the flies here bite and leave bloody marks
Hmmm…interesting idea, though.
How about one of those thingies made of plastic strips to go in doorways?
Happy pigs!
Happy pigs make happy bacon!
Goodness, all this traipsing back and forth between barns and switching animals’ homes must become tiresome. Those piggies do look like they’re having a grand time.
Will be hot here today too… predicted at 30 c and, with the humidex figured in, will feel like 37 c. Seems like just a week ago we were begging for some more warmth — well, here it is.
Hope you have a lovely day too. ~ Mame 🙂
Yes! I wish i could walk them to their new fields, having two farms so far apart is a bit of a nuisance. But I like to have my pregnant ones close by.
Miss C I’m having a hard time keeping everybody straight! Your farmy has blossomed and I need a current cast of characters!
Oops I am sorry – i will update that asap!
Storms like that are so loud and concerning. Often time there is hail, which is never a good thing. I’m glad your little group of pigglets figured it out and followed the Boo home.
Linda
I often wondered about the flies on animals. It would be so annoying if I could not keep them off. Makes you wish you could put leggings on them. Leave it to a farmer to come up with ways to fix things for their animals. Genius. Such a crew of characters you have there. I was wondering if any of the storms going across the country got near you. So far, you’ve been quite lucky it seems.
Your flower gardens are beautiful as always. Looking forward to seeing the twins on the home farm again. Laura
It’s a bit of a misnomer to call those plonkers piglets – They are whoppers. Poor Ton hiding from the storm. I hope it’s gone away now.
Do elderberry bushes grow where you are? They are great deterrents for flies – our horses used to push their way into the centre of big bushes of it in their paddock, and when out riding in the lanes they had an unsettling habit of making a dive for any elder that we came across.
It’s a lovely sunny, warm Saturday here – though there as thick fog until lunchtime.
Love ViV xox
I have no idea ViV – I will look into it. The best thing seems to be the deep grass, that helps a lot.. c
wow- never a dull moment! Cheers!
Those plonkers crack me up!
Your peonies in the header look just luscious! I wonder if a vinegar spray on their legs would help with the flies? Ugh! I hate flies!! Those are some very happy pigs with their Nanny Boo!
Vinegar seems to attract our flies.. sadly. c
Genius idea for fly shooing and pea chick housing. It’s frightening what damage a fierce wind can do. Hope the weather settles out. It looks like a riot of Berkshires and I’m glad Boo was of service. My dog was afraid of lightening and cap guns. Must have hurt his ears. Calmer days ahead.
I wish I had no about the ‘feed bag/fly’ trick when we had our horse. Wow – that storm – and you trying to make sure all the animals were sheltered – was very exciting reading. And I really love hearing about that orphan pea chick now has a safe little place where he can be with the other birds-of-a-feather. He sure is one determined little guy!! ; o )
Well, had I been there during the storm Ton and I would both have been invisible keeping each other company in the wardrobe. Storms are one of the few things in this world which absolutely petrify me !! On the ‘lovely side’ – your peonies are quite enviable . . . love them . . .
Such beautiful light in your photos!