THREE LITTLE PIGS

In the night the three little pigs, who were shifted to their outside field and who are no longer little, grunted and talked to each other in that low “I am here, I am here” slightly anxious tone.  Bouncing blips of sound, like sonar, off each other to keep their miniature herd together.  They love their new larger sunnier field, which at this time of year has nothing growing in it at all and the sun is intermittent, but they are not sure about the new living bigger quarters.

The cattle on the West side.  We discovered that if John attaches a large weight to the back of the little tractor it was able to pick up the large half-ton bales of hay.  So their feeder and their bellies are full . They take no notice of me. Just watching. No longer a bringer of food.

Just a curiosity.

Not that Wai is healed and the worst of the cold is over he is on a serious diet.  And less than happy about it. The good news is that although he is living in close proximity to Tima and Tane they are still being good and sleeping in their own bunks.  No-one is stealing. WaiWai whines a lot when he is in the field with them – he is the squeaky wheel – but there are no fights.

Molly has still not come into heat. So she is still not in with Manu – they have trying to dig under the gates though. In fact Manu has started eating one of the gates to get through to her.

I found a murdered and dismembered chicken in the loft of the barn yesterday. It had all the hallmarks of a bastard mink kill. This is chilling because I cannot keep minks out of the main barn. There was a raccoon living up there somewhere,  I have seen his scat, but he has left (I think)  when the last of the hay was gone but this mink comes and goes from the creek. In and out of the numberous holes. The chook house is locked up totally from dusk to dawn but the barn cannot be shut up against a mink at all  – it is too old, with too many holes.

The peacocks and the guineas also roost in the barn so the dogs and I are doubling our night time patrols. And I go into the loft in the barn often during the day – just moving stuff around – creating big open spaces and leaving my scent behind. Minks are dawn and dusk animals but will also come out in the night and in the day.  Hopefully, the dogs and I can put the mink family off before they dig in and decide to stay for the summer and breed.  Maybe Boo will even catch one – he loves digging into and yelping down their holes and has a sure scent of them.  Often Mink don’t even dig their own dens. They go down into rabbit tunnels or muskrat holes, kill the mammals and their babies and take over their homes.  Boo and I are on the prowl.

The thought of Mr Flowers or Pania being killed by one of these creatures is awful. I am being a vigilant mink vigilante.

Dawn is here.

Have a lovely day.

celi

WEATHER: Warmer with wind in the afternoon.

Monday 03/19 0% / 0 in
A mix of clouds and sun, with gusty winds developing this afternoon. High 53F. Winds ENE at 20 to 30 mph.

Monday Night 03/19 0% / 0 in
Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 26F. Winds NE at 15 to 25 mph.

Sun
6:57 am 7:04 pm

Moon
Waxing Crescent, 4% visible 8:23 am 9:28 pm

 

 

 

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