Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[NH Homesteader]

Ah babies!! Sorry about the runt. I am a sucker for the runt too. We tried to keep a gimpy turkey this year, we thought he just had a leg issue but he got around OK. Until he just died one day out of the blue... Apparently there was more wrong with him.

How are they doing tonight? How's momma?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I checked on 'em before dark and they were all ok. I fed mama and waited around to watch her lay down. Sure enough she plopped right down on one of 'em's head..geeze louise! I pulled it right out from under her and it went around and nursed. The runt is hanging in and actually getting around. But, if it's little legs aren't straightened out by tomorrow DH will do the deed. If it were suffering we'd have done it tonight, but it made it's way to mom and found a teat.... sigh.

 

[NH Homesteader]

I swear pigs are dumb. What other animal crushes their offspring with such a high frequency? Seriously!

 

[baymule]

What good news about your piggies! It is never easy to have to put one down and I try to save what I can. We had an Ameraucana chick that got beat up pretty badly by those darn Delaware chicks. We saved her. Our grand daughter was here that weekend and she babied her, which I continued to do. Rose survived, grew into a pretty pullet, is smaller than the others and will probably never lay. Sigh. We just do the best we can and what we have no business "saving" dies anyway. but we don't have to like it.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Bay you've officially convinced me to never ever get Delawares! My very sweet chickens would like to thank you for that.

My friend who breeds pigs always keeps and/or buys runts. Half of his sows were the runt of their litter. They are all big, happy, baby producing girls!

Did you cut the boys? Sorry if you said it and I missed it.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Right! Stoopid pigs! I'll be cleaning their pen in the morning and adding fresh hay, cuz it's gonna get cold tomorrow night. I think we're actually s'posed to get close to freezing. Piggies better snuggle up!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I didn't cut them - too stinking muddy. Ugh. But, it will force me to "deal with them" before they get to be breeding age. I'm going to set up a creep feeder tomorrow and after that will begin weaning. If I don't sell them after weaning, we'll process them by 6 months. There are two males in the new litter, so if the weather cooperates I may get to practice on them. The best thing about the AGH's is the promise of no boar taint so it really doesn't matter that much to me either way.

 

[baymule]

Our neighbor called tonight and said he might get four 60 pound wild pigs and offered us one if he gets them. Hope he does! I'll have to borrow my meat grinder back from them. LOL LOL

 

[frustratedearthmother]

That would be so cool, Bay!

 

[sumi]

Congrats on the piglets! Pics, please, when you get a moment?