Pig moving time again. Jazz and Tallulah's piglets were ready for weaning today. Normally, we put the sows and piglets outside when the piglets are about three weeks old, but as we had a lack of space following our population explosion they had to stay inside until weaning time came. We have to carry the piglets from the barn down to the field. This is easy enough when they are three weeks old but takes a bit more effort by the time they reach eight weeks as the weight difference is considerable. So this morning we set about catching them one by one. We drop them into a hessian sack as this helps to keep them calm while they are carried to their new paddock as wriggly screaming pigs can be trick to keep hold of. This method has always worked well up to now.
The next thing is for them all to get used to the electric fencing. We use electric tape/wire around the bottom of the fences to stop the pigs digging under. Most of them touch it once or twice squeal and run about a bit (this looks like wacky races) and they soon get the idea. But there is always one that hits it again and again and again. We had one today that was "playing pinball". She bounced of one fence to the next and the next until she finally ran out of steam. You shouldn't laugh I know but it is pretty funny all the same. Most pigs are very clever and learn quickly but we always get one dim witted creature.
The last of the larger boys will moved back to the barn later today as they will be off to the abattoir over the next few weeks.
Sounds like you're having great fun as pig farmers. We’ve got pigs for pets, but now we’re looking at breeding them for meat. But I just don’t know if we can eat our pet’s babies!
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