Piglets

We had a batch of piglet born April fools day. One was noticeably not thriving after a few days, since she was too small and getting shoved out of the way by the larger piggies. That one has been bottle fed every few hours for the last several weeks and is now doing well, though still smaller than her litter mates. I,however, am somewhat sleep deprived. Thankfully, little "Wilburina" has started eating solid food on pasture area, food scraps, and grain so I don't have to get up in the middle of the night any more.

What does this have to do with gardening? They are quite the ground tillers, so while weaning them we will have them in a moveable pen placed in areas I have wanted to turn into garden.

Pictures below.

Wow, free labor. And what dedication by you. I can't imagine you're going to be getting any extra sleep at planting time of the year, though. But I hope you do! I love the pics. Wilburina almost looks like a dog when she has the bottle.

Beautiful row of piggies!

Naptime piggy pile.

Wilburina is too cute. I understand pigs are very smart. You must get so attached to them. Love your photos.

I do get attached, but I know their future is to be someone's dinner...so I can't get too attached. And I know if left to grow to full size they become huge, powerful animals. We have had Miss Piggy, the mother, for about a year and a half and she weighs probably 400 to 500 pounds. This is her first litter. She knows us well enough we can feed her apple chunks by hand (a treat she loves), but I have healthy respect for her strength. We finally had to put up electric fencing because she kept breaking through, lifting hog panels up with her nose when she felt like getting into the chicken yard to eat their food. She just about took the gate of the pig house off its hinges when we took the first batch of piglets out to the weaning pen yesterday. Yet, she will roll onto her side somewhat like a dog if she wants you to rub her tummy. I will be glad to see them go to homes where they will be treated well until it is their time.

I was trying not to go there. I would be a vegetarian if I had to kill to eat. I am afraid those piglets would be sleeping with me in my bed pretty fast. LOL

But I guess if you know going in, you keep them in your mind in a category other than pet. I am sure you take good care of them. They look happy and healthy. Just not tasty to me. LOL

Yes, they are very cute. At that size!

I'm glad to see someone from PNW posting.