Feeding a big group of pigs is like merging onto a motorway full of fast moving trucks whose drivers got their licenses from the dodge-ems at a fair. And all the drivers are half crazed with thirst and my truck is carrying the beer!
Happy pigs.
My friend Kristy (eatplayloveblog) had Camera House yesterday and was able to catch a little of this frenzy on camera for you.
I am carrying 5 gallon buckets of warm porridge. Their favourite! But I am awkward and they profess to be starving. So I am careful.
They quickly settle down to scoffing and coughing. PIGS, the lot of them.
Tane getting his egg of the evening.
I hope you have a lovely day.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
44 responses to “Feeding Time”
It makes me laugh that Tane’s sweet little eyes are sparkling behind his rather grisly milk soaked slurppy mouth!
He does have tinkly eyes doesn’t he!!
I can appreciate what is involved here. I only have two Hereford pigs that are about 60 pounds each, and it is still challenging to feed them. I give them lots of milk from my cow, and I get very frustrated if the pigs waste it by knocking me over in their wild enthusiasm! My new and best strategy is to lock them in their pen in the evening, and then have their food waiting outside when they go out in the morning. In the evening, I sneak their food in their pen while they are preoccupied outside, and then call them to let them know dinner is ready. I then lock them in for the night while they are happily eating. I also feed them lunch, but I don’t have milk then, so it is not so upsetting if a little food is knocked about.
That is an excellent strategy. When I oly have a few I have a piece of fence that is higher than the rest and i can fit bowls under it – then pour the food in from my side and they eat it on theirs. but this mob is just too big!
Those piglets have gorgeous bottoms. Their hams will be sensational… Tane is a dear sweet boy, but merciful heavens, he’s a terror to see eating with those great brown tusks.
Blimey talk about a mad scrum! Do be careful. 😊
Hahaha… the pig frenzy is wonderful! And I agree, the porridge shower is a wonderful shot with the frenzy looking perfectly ecstatic. Such happy animals. You must feel very satisfied with your day’s work when you know your crew are so happy and comfortable. And may you have such a happy outlook too! ~ Mame 🙂
At least they “give” you a space to actually pour. Great pictures. Thank you Kristy! I came across this article this morning…very apropos: http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/11/pessimist-pigs-are-positive-if-they-have-nice-digs You might have to copy and paste it into your browser. Have a great day.
Kim, thank you for this link. I read it and enjoyed it, pessimist that I am. What I’d love to know is how do you change your basic temperament. And even can you!!
yes! Poppy is still ratty because she is on a low straw bed – I am always afraid of the mama lying on a burrowed down piglet.
I wish I knew that as well since I am a glass half empty person myself. Gratitude lists help me at times. Crochet helps too! It’s the little things.
You should have the carpenter in your life build you a pig trough. A heavy unmovable structure that sits just the other side of a fence, so you can shower their upturned faces with porridge from relative safety. I fear that some icy early winters day, you may fall and hurt more than your ego. Although the opportunity of dancing with a mob of gigantic happy piglets does look like an absolutly delight.
OH how i long to have a carpenter in my life!
As they used to say when I was younger at school. “Bundle!” which was usually followed by a rush to whichever person they wanted to knock over. Lovely photos of your bunch though.
Tame appears to be a graduate from charm school compared to those other rowdies!
Gosh they’ve grown!
Oh my goodness! I’ll stick with cats! Speaking of I have a story on mine you might like – animals being animals! I thought it was funny anyway 🙂
If a rowdy bunch of pigs is not called a mob, it should be! LOL! Be careful though! I think the idea of pouring the bucket of oats over the fence into a trough of some kind sounds like a VERY good idea! Do all Kune Kune piggies have those tusks that stick out sideways from their mouths and if so, what is their purpose? They can’t possible chew anything with them, can they? Maybe for rooting in the dirt? Too funny! Tane looks like a little Ewok!
Kune’s don’t root up the fields so I would say the tusks are for fighting – if a pig wants to hurt you he will generally hit his adversary with the side of his head- with tusks he can take a chunk out at the same time. But he has four tusks – i have not seen this before… c
Yes! Just today I realized Percy has four also. They are quite fierce looking. Rosey the potbelly didn’t.
Thank you thank you for my favorite picture: feeding an intact egg whole to a pig. I don’t think I’ll ever get over the fact that a pig can digest an egg, shell and all!
All of your photos today are absolutely spectacular. Spectacular! Those pigs ganging up on you and each other is one for the books and so is that shower of porridge! Love love love ’em!
I always think of you when i get a shot of the inside of an animals mouth! So interesting they are! c
Ouch!! 🙂
I’m amazed at the incredible care you give your animals… EXAMPLE – five gallons of hot porridge!! You’re awesome my friend!! ; o )