Broody
Yesterday was kind of a slacker-y day, because I’m finally more or less caught up with all my big projects.
I went to the co-op first thing, for another bale of straw for the pigs and three more bundles of t-posts, this time to put around the outside of their fence. You have no idea how much I don’t want these pigs to get out.
Come to think of it, I actually went to the co-op second thing. First thing, I had to use the tractor to push the truck (with Robyn steering) out of the mudhole that separates the front and back of our property. There’s a small ditch there, for rain r-u-n-n-o-f-t, and during the winter the shallowest part turns into a pit of mud because water stands there. Friday, when I was driving the pigs from where I’d sprayed them with the hose out to their pen, the truck got mired down in the muck.
I never imagined I’d need four-wheel drive on my own property.
Originally, I’d planned to pull the truck out with the tractor, but couldn’t figure out a good way to attach the two machines. I have some nice chain and plenty of clips, but there was no good way to attach the chain to the truck without getting down under it, where there was a foot of mud. Since I’d managed to mire the truck down lengthwise instead of crosswise (this is what I get for trying to make sure the pigs didn’t get jostled), getting under either end was a big no.
So I lowered the loader bucket on the tractor, got behind the truck, and pushed it right out. Worked like a charm.
Back from the co-op, I spent the rest of the morning building a brooder for the chicks coming next week and looking in on the pigs. When we raised the chicks last year, I learned several things, one of which is that a brooder needs taller walls than a children’s swimming pool can offer. I started out last month looking at livestock watering tanks at the co-op. They come in a variety of sizes, but they’re expensive. The one I was looking at, which was 6′ x 3′ x 2′, was almost $200.
Yeah. I know.
I didn’t want to spend that much, but couldn’t think of anything better. I was actually going to get one — the eight foot one, even, because I wanted those chickies to have plenty of room — two weekends ago when I went for the pig fence materials. Then, on the way to the co-op, my inner Scrooge came up with a better plan: I could build something bigger out of plywood and 2″x2″ wood for a whole lot less money.
Sure enough, the material for the brooder cost less than $50. It ain’t fancy, and it needs some paint inside to protect the wood, but it’ll work:
When the chicks get a little bigger, I’ll build a cover with 2″x4″ wood and chicken wire, so they can’t get out. They’ll be living in the garage for the first 4-6 weeks, and I’d hate to run over one.
The end pieces are blue because I had a big enough piece of soffit wood left over from the chicken coop to use, and I’d already painted it.
Like it said, it’s not pretty, but it’ll do. Now all I need to do is figure out what to do with it when the chickens are done. If I’d been thinking, I would have just used screws, instead of screws and glue, but I thought Robyn and I would easily be able to carry it up the stairs in the garage. Turns out it’s heavier than I thought.
I mostly farted around the rest of the day, picking up stuff I left laying around, cleaning the cat carriers and truck bed, checking on the pigs obsessively. They’re calmer, but still skittish, and at this moment I’m not seeing myself get too attached to them. Sure, they’re cute, but in a couple of months they’ll be able to knock me down and eat me.
That has a way of discouraging affection.
We went to the movie store in the afternoon, came home for dinner, then went to Lowe’s for blinds and sundries. We’re trying to slowly replace the cheap blinds we put up when we were renovating with some nicer ones. Then, when I thought I was in for the evening, the mouse on my computer gave up the ghost and we went back out to Staples for a mouse. I plan not to leave the house today, as payback for all those errands.
Alrighty, time for some pigtures. The larger of the two is pretty much completely white / pink (their skin is pink, their hair is white). The smaller one has some mottling (I call it her liver spots), and some of the darker spots on her back are dried mud / shit. I got them as clean as I could, but I was fighting a losing battle.
Though they seem to be hanging out in the shelter, they spent a lot of time out in the sun. I can’t wait to take down the hog panels so they have full run of the pig pen. They’re starting to root around in the little area they have, and I suspect they’ll have turned the ground completely today or tomorrow.
You’ve seen what the pigs look like normally. Now let’s see them in cute mode.
I want a camera with a cute setting. (I actually made the awwww girly sound. For pigs.)
Sing along with me now….
Crooked Acres is the place to be.
Farm livin’ is the life for me.
Land spreadin’ out so far and wide,
Keep Ol’ Madison, just give me that countryside!!!
Mighty cute piggy you got there, Mister. ;0)
Were you successful in getting the pig smell out of your car?
Do you suppose they could be litter trained to wood chips or mulch?
Teri, I’ve read that baby pigs will use a litter box. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but it does seem like way too many people keep potbellies as pets for them to be shitting all willy-nilly everywhere.
Even the “cute” pictures can’t turn me on to pigs. Bleh! They’re so gross!
I have a lot of respect for you to go through this process with such a disgusting animal for yummy bacon. I KNOW I couldn’t do it!
your piggies are SO cute… are you sure you can eat such a little cutie?? Next you’ll be raising goats for food!!
Sassy, you’ve no idea how hard I’ve tried to convince Robyn to try goat meat, so we can raise some Boers to eat, but she won’t. CAUSE SHE’S A FREAK.
Awwww, cute piggies! and Little Miss Sh*t is actually smiling at you.
Can it be that you will be naming one of them “Penelope” as per the new movie???
I think it is very benificent of Robyin to allow you to have pigs.
Sammi
Ever hear the expression, “Never trust a pig farmer”? Pigs will eat anything. I mean anything. Bones and all. I saw this show on television once, that their was this woman who would kill her husbands then feed their bodies to the pigs. She was married several times. There was no evidence of their “remains”, so they were just listed as missing. Years later, I believe they had evidence of her killing them. Freaky, huh?
Are they acclamated now to the pen?
GACK! GOT MEAT
Robyn is smart for not trying goat, not good tasting. My opinion. Pigs still=FOOD, not cute
Pig-riffic! Congrats on your continued husbandry.
They are far too cute to become bacon in my opinion.
Well, I am resigned. First you will give them cutesy names like “Honey Bun” and “Pork Chop”, and then you will regale us with amusing stories about their antics (”Honey Bun loves to do somersaults”)(”Pork Chop can climb ladders. I was repairing the roof, turned around and there was Pork Chop standing on the ridge of the roof!”), and, of course, how very much they both enjoy Snackin! Time!, and then one day we’ll turn on our computers only to see photos of Honey Bun’s severed head and Pork Chop’s entrails arranged to spell “I like cheese” or some such. Sigh….
Are you going to name them Bacon and Sausage?
They’re already a couple of hams in front of the camera.
Har har.
Awww I love cute mode! Esp the first pic!
Since you’re planning on eating them, are you feeding them any sort of specific types of foods that will make them taste better, erm, in the end? And are you going to do weird things like make head cheese and pickled pig feet, or just stick with the standard ham and bacon?
Elizabeth has proven to be not only a talented writer, but a loyal reader as well.
“one day we’ll turn on our computers only to see photos of Honey Bun’s severed head and Pork Chop’s entrails arranged to spell “I like cheese” or some such.”
Not only is your entry funny, but your commenters are just as entertaining.
I loved the piggy pics, especially the cute ones. Will they be spared if a spider spins a web over them saying, “Some pigs?”
I love that you moved out of the city and became a real life farmer. That is utterly fascinating to me. Like a backwards Beverly Hillbillies