NH Homesteader's journal

[sumi]

Happy birthday to your DD!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Oh Bay, we know you don't really have winter down there! Lol!

Our pig should be farrowing in March, maybe April. Either way there is likely to be snow on the ground! But meat sounds good- particularly with my 2 days of pig chasing!

I've been awake since 3:30 for no reason. Annoying. Gonna be a long day!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

This part is easy....PLENTY of straw. They will actually put it in the hut, cover babies, uncover at feeding time & RECOVER them when done!! They are amazing. I've had large ones farrow in past and the two AGH ladies farrowed last December here. They really do a great job.

I'd rather have winter babies than summer babies any day! Like MH said - just give 'em a pile of hay and they'll take care of themselves! So cute to walk into the barn and see no piglets until they start barreling out of that hay pile!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

AND.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO DD!!!

 

[NH Homesteader]

My husband is totally not going to be home when he was supposed to be. AND he apparently has my car keys. I am NOT HAPPY.

 

[sumi]

Oh no… Hopefully your car keys will turn up soon and the day will go well for you and DD

 

[frustratedearthmother]

ARGH! I hate it when that happens....DH took off with my keys one day which annoyed the heck out of me! I had an extra set for my truck - but he had my office keys and house key too. Hope you get to do something fun with DD anyway!

 

[baymule]

That's a valid reason!



This part is easy....PLENTY of straw. They will actually put it in the hut, cover babies, uncover at feeding time & RECOVER them when done!! They are amazing. I've had large ones farrow in past and the two AGH ladies farrowed last December here. They really do a great job. However, if a piglet hangs on to a nipple and gets drug out, not as good at getting them back in as say a cat/dog. That's a problem.

She is showing heat now, but has already tried to bite me several times. I go in with a shovel, but only when I have to. If she drug a piglet out, I can't see me trying to save it's life when she's trying to end mine. This sow has gotten mean and has no fear of me.

I'd rather have winter babies than summer babies any day! Like MH said - just give 'em a pile of hay and they'll take care of themselves! So cute to walk into the barn and see no piglets until they start barreling out of that hay pile!

I don't have barn access for the pigs, just the Hawg Hut, which wouldn't offer much shelter for baby piglets. They are in a 1 acre pasture and there isn't a safe way for me to contain the sow while I check the babies. If I had a smaller pen and a way to partition off the sow while I check the piglets, I would probably keep her, but I just don't need more to do on an already long list. Besides, all that corn, hay and whey--she oughta taste darn good! LOL

Since I don't have a good feeling about this farrowing process and I am not prepared, properly set up for the best for the sow and babies, I am not willing to risk my own safety for it. I know when to give a healthy dose of respect to a creature bigger and stronger than me and this is one of those times.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Bye bye sow!

 

[NH Homesteader]

DH fixed the freezer while DD and I did chores. He basically changed out the thermostat so it should function as a fridge/cooler. Headed out to check the temp shortly. We want to butcher in the morning, that way we can watch the temp all day. Plus it's supposed to pour Sunday evening through Monday so if he's rained out of work Monday, we can start cutting meat. Plus it'll give us the afternoon to hang out and do puzzles, etc with DD since today went wonky.

DD had a good birthday, although maybe not as planned. She loved her gifts (she's so sweet, she keeps thanking me profusely). She loved her cupcakes. Now we are going to have family "game night" until bedtime. I don't want to rush her growing up, but I can't wait until she can play games that are actually fun. Lol!!