“PLeeeeeaaaase.” says BooBoo.
“Can I have him?”
This is the little piglet who I am trying to get to eat a little more. He is so small. He sleeps a bit much and is always bottom of the heap, but seems pretty sprightly when he is up and about. He is very friendly and when I sit in there to observe them all for a while he creeps in under my arm.
But he LOVES Boo, and is always trying to get through the bars to see him.
And you know how BooBoo loves his babies.
Poppy is due to farrow on Thursday. I am not happy about Molly being in there when Poppy farrows – they are neither of them calm about the others presence through the wall. We are only days away from the four week mark. All the piglets except the little one are doing very well. They are getting big. Eating their feed and (in the absence of raw cows milk) I introduced goats milk yesterday which most of them slurped at. Molly is feeding them less and pushing them away more often. Getting a bit tetchy with them.
She is giving me the clues.
If I do wean Molly away this week and bring the little one inside for extra TLC Boo will be thrilled to bits but I am trying to avoid it. I really don’t need the extra work. But we will see. He is awfully sweet and very small. And already trying to schmooze me. Everyone but me wants that piglet inside. 
See how Boo is avoiding eye contact so as not to scare the baby.
I cannot believe this weather – it is just not warming up and we have had so much rain over the last two days. The weather for today is going to be just as mean. The basement pump is working on the flooding again, and the pigs down the back are having a fine time in the muck down there. No planting today I think.
In fact I am going to get out the covers and cover those tomatoes for the week. This wind is not ideal.
Although we have a Southerly-ish wind today the Easterly wind keeps swinging back in for the whole week with a touch of North – until that lets up the weather will stay inclement. And you know how I hate the Easterly. The farrowing pen is on the East side. Poppy’s babies will be born into the cold. Hopefully she is not as sneaky as Molly – giving birth between night checks. (Oh, How I wish I had a security camera in that side of the barn. But there is no wifi out there. And it would be expensive and difficult – I am sure. I toy with the idea every year but it really is beyond my ken.)
I hope you have a lovely day.
celi
Weather forecast.
Monday 05/01 50% / 0.03 in
Rain showers along with windy conditions. High near 55F. Winds SSW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
Monday Night 05/01 40% / 0.03 in
Windy. Rain showers this evening, with overcast skies overnight. Low near 40F. Winds WSW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
The Kitchen's Garden 
49 responses to “Can I have him?”
But if the little one is hand raised in the house will be be accepted back in the group when he’s big enough? Or will it always have to be kept separate until time to be sold? You know best, of course, but by now you have already accumulated quite a few ‘pets’ who have special needs or aren’t contributing to the productive balance of the whole farm yet require your constant time and money. Just a little devil’s advocacy on a Monday morning. Me, I’d take him in in a heartbeat!
Yes, these are the things running through my head too – do i need another pet. And no – they will not take him back nor would I want to put him back into the fattening group.. c
Nature made them cute so that we would defend them. We’re helpless around those proportions. I know I am. Can’t get enough of these piglet pictures. How pathetic is that??
Sentimentality aside, if he comes in now he will have crossed the line and can’t go back if I remember correctly from the last one? Is it possible to separate him and feed him an extra bottle or two during the day but still be with his litter mates? On the other hand there is nothing cuter than seeing Boo and a little piggy inside, I would probably have him inside, decisions,decisions 🙂 Laura
All good ideas – I won’t take him out until I wean them all though – so he gets as much of mothers milk as he can. I am wary though.
Ha! Yes, dear Boo would thrive with a wee one to look after. Problem is, of course, wee ones tend to grow and I can’t imagine what a huge pig in the house would be like. Don’t want to ‘imagine’ and won’t even try… it’s far too scary. Is it possible for Boo to care for his charge outside? Or is it still too cold at night for Boo to be out there a hundred percent of the time? It does appear the two of them are calling each other. It would be ideal, it seems, as long as it’s not IN the house….. lol Watching with great interest. Have a great day! ~ Mame 🙂
Boo refuses to sleep where he cannot see me but we will see how the little one goes. c
Hahaha… Boo must see you and, if he has a charge, he must also see his little one. We’ll just call you Ellie Mae Clampett!
It’s always something on a farm! These are the kinds of things that wake me up in the middle of the night.
Oh me! What a quandary! John wants the ‘little kid’ in? That’s wonderful! Will he help to clean up? Boo and Piggly Wiggly already have an affection for one another – plain as day! Boo’s pal. Special twosome! Piggly just wants the affection he/she didn’t get because of being so small. “Someone to call my own…”.
I’m sure you have thought of every possible facet of this piglet problem. I’m wondering if the woman who took Lurch would take him. We could do a little donating towards his care.
I just love that little piggy, he is so cute. It’s wonderful that Boo loves the little runt too…why can’t humans be so empathic. I can’t wait to meet them, hopefully they won’t be too huge!
Perhaps its better to keep him with his mob but separate him and one other at feed time, but as others have said, within the same pen, to avoid stress. I have introduced pigs back into the mob after forced separation but it takes plenty of time spent in a pen next to the pen, and still causes fights all around and not just for the reintroduced, but generally not long term. But this is still preferable to my mind to creating a pet pig and all the associated work and rehoming problems down the track. I think you said they were castrated so at least you don’t have a problem keeping him as long as is needed to grow out.
The little pig needs to come inside for a bit… Just give in! : )