Early this morning Ashley's pig, Flame, had piglets. Ashley and Miles went back to their mom's Wednesday, so Ashley missed it, but here is the story for her and you.
Yesterday afternoon Flame started building a nest. Yes, pigs build nests. It is an interesting thing to watch. She pulled up roots, moved sticks and branches, and leveled off a bit of ground. She even tried to pull the wire off the fence. The result was a lot of pulled of chicken fence, but I don't think she ruined it. Papaw put some hay in the building, and that enticed her to move inside with her sticks.
At 5 AM Papaw went to check her, no babies. About 7 he went back out and there were already half a dozen or so. Tim and I woke up to, "We've got babies." Papaw gets a little excited about his animals. He thinks that 14 were born, but only 12 are living.
One piglet got stepped on and had a big open wound on it's hip. Time for stitches. My kitchen was soon turned into a piglet hospital. Tim stitched the pig on my table. Thanks so much for putting some rags down honey! Ya know we eat off that table!
One runt was pretty weak. He is currently in a box in my kitchen. Kellen and Lydia have said they will bottle feed it. My plan is that they will feed it until it is strong enough to go back with Flame. Kellen's plan is to raise it as a pet. Despite our warnings that the pig may not make it, and if it does, we will not be keeping it, he has named it Arnold. He isn't taking very well to our feeding him, so I guess we will just see what happens. Any suggestions?
NEVER a dull moment in the 100 Acre Wood!
OMGOodness!! I'm going to call Lydia "Fern" next time I see her! I can't believe you didn't name the runt Wilbur! How 'bout "Some Pig!" LOL
ReplyDeleteAww...poor baby pig needing stitches! I wouldn't want that job! Did it squeal alot?
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree, Wilber would have been a great name. As well as "Some Pig!"
Awwwww. What are you feeding the baby? She will not take the baby back. The one with stitches might not make it either. I hope they do. Keep nudging the baby. They need stimulation. Good luck
ReplyDeleteim a grandma! lol. wow thats a lot of piglets. i cant wait to see them.. i hope the runt and the one who needed stiches will be alright.
ReplyDeleteand this is ashley ^^^^
ReplyDeleteOur son the surgeon!! You must have been holding out on us all these years. I have to tell you that from now on when we visit I will eat my meals on the couch just holding my plate, thank you very much!!!!!!! G and G
ReplyDeletePiggies with stitches is doing well. Sadly Arnold is gone as another one. It isn't unexpected, but still sad. :(
ReplyDeletePoor piggies. I'm sure it's pretty normal when you have that many at once, but I'm sure it's hard on Kellan.
ReplyDeleteWow...that's a lot of little pigs!!!
ReplyDeleteI have no advice on feeding one...no experience at all with them!!!
Wow!
That rocks that you guys stitched up the hurt one and saved him. I had to give mouth to mouth to a newborn puppy once and the feeling I had when she started breathing on her own I can't even describe. Hang in the Hopalong, you must have a charmed piggy life to fall in with this bunch.
ReplyDelete- Mojo
How cool. My kids are hoping their gerbils will have babies. Nothing quite like pigs, though. :)
ReplyDelete