The piglets have finally arrived!! I went for them at about 10:30 this morning and it was quite hilarious watching them doing their best not to be caught by the farmer and his wife. Hilarity quickly turned to trauma when they were hoisted by their hind feet and squealed their little heads off until they were quite literally dumped into the dog cage I'd stuck on the back of the pick-up. They they turned to look at us with a look of total shock on their faces and I felt so sorry for them and vowed never to have to pick them up like that unless I really had no other option.
I felt really bad for their mum after they'd left her - she was quite stressed and frantically tossing her straw around all over looking for them. It was awful. I hope if I ever breed pigs I can make the piglets' departures less painful for the sows.
It turns out I have a boar & a gilt - the boar is a lot smaller than the gilt - he had a bit of a troubled start to his little life and the farmer was contemplating putting him to sleep, but decided to give him a second chance and although he's smaller, he's putting on weight nicely now and there's nothing wrong with him. He's quite obviously the runt of the litter though, so I think he'll be my special little boy.... We've decided on Edward & Tubbs as names.
I got a supply of straw and some barley and pig pellets to get me started and off I went, pigs in tow, wondering what I was letting myself in for...
On arriving home I was absolutely petrified that I might drop one and got James (my other half) to carry them under his arm to the barn. They didn't squeal once! When they were put in their new home they still had a look of shock and were shivering! I wanted to wrap them up in blankets and take them to the lounge with me. I was given 'that' look when I mentioned this and realised I was being a bit of a wimp....
I scattered some pellets on their straw and put a few apples in with them and watched them for a bit then thought I should leave them to de-stress for a little while. I couldn't leave them for very long though and within 10 minutes I was back in the barn, laying on their straw with them and coaxing them gently. They seem to like being stroked on their backs and behind their ears and haven't tried to bite me, but they still seem a bit freaked out by the whole day! I left them again (for a little bit longer this time, honestly) and when I went back in they were happily snuffling around for pellets and munching on their apples! They're soooo cute!!! And they make the most hilarious noises when they're eating and mooching about.
It's my day off tomorrow and I can't wait to get back in with them - I've said goodnight to them for tonight, I guessed they must be tired after what's turned out to be probably their most eventful day yet. When I left them, they were happily snuggling down in their straw and they let me tuck them in a bit without flinching away from me. Ahhh bless....
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