Discussion
Normality has returned to the OSB pen. Bigpig is back to her normal self, and her and Greta's litters are swapping between the 2 for feeding. All the chaos coincided with the farmer where we have the pigs losing 10 chickens 1 night to a fox, we are thinking the fox may have has a go in the farrow pens and upset Bigpig. The 4 in the barn are doing well, I will keep them away from mum and in a group of 4 until weaning, then into the pens with the rest of the litters. The 2 bigger ones could possibly go back sooner, but I want to keep them as 1 unit so less likelihood of bullying when they return to their siblings.
20231205_123429 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
20231205_123355 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
20231205_123434 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
20231205_123429 by Old_Chad, on Flickr20231205_123355 by Old_Chad, on Flickr20231205_123434 by Old_Chad, on FlickrThe one slightly bigger than Minnow has improved no end too. Gone from cold and skinny the day we grabbed him from the pen to a happy chap with a bit of a belly. Currently the 4 small ones are up to 5 litres of milk and a kilo of pellets soaked in, really trying to get their weight up so I can move them into an open pen in the barn and switch to the heat lamp just at night then off altogether.
signal-2023-11-29-13-15-56-236 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
20231206_092109 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
signal-2023-11-29-13-15-56-236 by Old_Chad, on Flickr20231206_092109 by Old_Chad, on FlickrMinnow had a bit of a setback, developed joint ill so needed a vet visit. Had an antibiotic, anti inflammatory & pain killing jab and is starting to improve. He is struggling to weight bare on one back leg but still eating like a good-un and improving condition so vet isn't too worried.
Minnow bottom, bucket pig next, then the bigger 2
20231212_201140 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
Minnow bottom, bucket pig next, then the bigger 2
20231212_201140 by Old_Chad, on FlickrYour effort and care is just awesome.
I do love animals (and have a lot lol) but they can be very stressful! Fingers crossed for minnows full recovery
Interesting that a fox would bother big pig - wonder if she’d care if she didn’t have piglets? Your neighbour needs the sort of chickens our neighbours have - a fox got in there one evening last year and the cockerel killed it without it managing to take a single hen. They are quite scary tho!
I do love animals (and have a lot lol) but they can be very stressful! Fingers crossed for minnows full recovery
Interesting that a fox would bother big pig - wonder if she’d care if she didn’t have piglets? Your neighbour needs the sort of chickens our neighbours have - a fox got in there one evening last year and the cockerel killed it without it managing to take a single hen. They are quite scary tho!
Sounds more Velociraptor that cockerel !
All the piggies in the barn are to good enough condition to turn off the heat lamp in the day now
. Also they are to breed standard, so with the fact they are used to being handled I am planning to sell 3 of them for breeding boars, and I think Minnow will stay as our herd boar. Unfortunately means Bigpig will move on to someone else as she is his only relation in the OSB herd.
All the piggies in the barn are to good enough condition to turn off the heat lamp in the day now
. Also they are to breed standard, so with the fact they are used to being handled I am planning to sell 3 of them for breeding boars, and I think Minnow will stay as our herd boar. Unfortunately means Bigpig will move on to someone else as she is his only relation in the OSB herd.Unexpected weaning day for Cagney & Lacey as Cagney decided to escape her pen and it was just easier moving them both to a new pen. I put them a new pigloo and fresh straw in the new pen but it is too posh for my girls so they are camping out in a grass nest they have made themselves. The litters are all in a heap in the ark in their pen ready to be moved tomorrow, after a trip to the local farm supplies place to get some hurdles!
a busy few weeks on the piggy front.
The little ones are in their own pen and growing fast. stating to be sold off, hope to get down to around 4-6 to keep to grow on
IMG_20231216_154902_570 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
Bigpig and Greta have moved on to another local farmer, 2 reasons, I want to keep a boar from their litter and they are going to be the only breeding relation to the boar it makes sense for them to move on, also we have had so much rain I am struggling to keep the pens in a state good enough for the pigs I have.
20231230_125000 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
This little monkey escaped and found something sharp somewhere and cut her leg, so she is in the barn in a dry pen until it heals up fully
20231220_103623 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
Finally the 4 small boys in the barn, they are in an open pen next to pig above and are doing really well. Minnow has developed a pot belly and is now walking fine, still a bit of muscle to build up but he will be fine. He really likes food, expect if comes from 4 weeks of not getting enough. He has got to the stage now where the weight is piling on him.
Piggy on the right in this photo may get to visit a show or 2
20240101_103204 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
20240101_103308 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
The little ones are in their own pen and growing fast. stating to be sold off, hope to get down to around 4-6 to keep to grow on
IMG_20231216_154902_570 by Old_Chad, on FlickrBigpig and Greta have moved on to another local farmer, 2 reasons, I want to keep a boar from their litter and they are going to be the only breeding relation to the boar it makes sense for them to move on, also we have had so much rain I am struggling to keep the pens in a state good enough for the pigs I have.
20231230_125000 by Old_Chad, on FlickrThis little monkey escaped and found something sharp somewhere and cut her leg, so she is in the barn in a dry pen until it heals up fully
20231220_103623 by Old_Chad, on FlickrFinally the 4 small boys in the barn, they are in an open pen next to pig above and are doing really well. Minnow has developed a pot belly and is now walking fine, still a bit of muscle to build up but he will be fine. He really likes food, expect if comes from 4 weeks of not getting enough. He has got to the stage now where the weight is piling on him.
Piggy on the right in this photo may get to visit a show or 2
20240101_103204 by Old_Chad, on Flickr20240101_103308 by Old_Chad, on FlickrWell the OSB/Manga crosses have moved house to a farm in Derbyshire bar 2, one for fattening and the one with the cut leg who is being retained for breeding & named Scarlett Johamsson
20240126_130540 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
IMG_20240127_212215_840 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
She will move back in with Cagney & Lacy in a week or two as she is getting very big.
Had some bad luck with the ginger ninja that was in the barn, he was always very excitable and jumpy & bouncy, unfortunately he got a massive hernia that wasn't sensibly repairable and had to be PTS, really sad as he was a friendly chap and would have been herd registered for breeding on and was from a line that isn't greatly represented in my part of the UK.
The rest of the barn pigs are doing well (top to bottom), Bucket Pig, Minnow & Patches. Bucket Pig and Patches I think will be shown this spring, really coming on well.
20240130_125657 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
Minnow is staying, he thinks I am mum and is very friendly, what I want in a boar I keep.
IMG_20240127_163812_145 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
20240126_130527 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
The rest of the litters are growing fast, hopefully a few going to a new home next week, currently I don't have the ground to grow them on myself, however that may be changing shortly.....
signal-2024-01-27-16-35-56-022-2 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
IMG_20240121_214049_402 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
20240126_130540 by Old_Chad, on FlickrIMG_20240127_212215_840 by Old_Chad, on FlickrShe will move back in with Cagney & Lacy in a week or two as she is getting very big.
Had some bad luck with the ginger ninja that was in the barn, he was always very excitable and jumpy & bouncy, unfortunately he got a massive hernia that wasn't sensibly repairable and had to be PTS, really sad as he was a friendly chap and would have been herd registered for breeding on and was from a line that isn't greatly represented in my part of the UK.
The rest of the barn pigs are doing well (top to bottom), Bucket Pig, Minnow & Patches. Bucket Pig and Patches I think will be shown this spring, really coming on well.
20240130_125657 by Old_Chad, on FlickrMinnow is staying, he thinks I am mum and is very friendly, what I want in a boar I keep.
IMG_20240127_163812_145 by Old_Chad, on Flickr20240126_130527 by Old_Chad, on FlickrThe rest of the litters are growing fast, hopefully a few going to a new home next week, currently I don't have the ground to grow them on myself, however that may be changing shortly.....
signal-2024-01-27-16-35-56-022-2 by Old_Chad, on FlickrIMG_20240121_214049_402 by Old_Chad, on FlickrIndeed! I am currently looking at a new field for them, it is much dryer sandier ground as apposed to the clay ground they are on now. I have really struggled with the weather over the last few months, I am not doing another winter without a barn I can move them into for the worst of the weather, apart from the benefits to the piggies it will make my life so much easier, will cost a bit more in straw but ease of looking after them over winter will vastly make up for it. Current pens will be used for summer only going forward.
scrw. said:
Indeed! I am currently looking at a new field for them, it is much dryer sandier ground as apposed to the clay ground they are on now. I have really struggled with the weather over the last few months, I am not doing another winter without a barn I can move them into for the worst of the weather, apart from the benefits to the piggies it will make my life so much easier, will cost a bit more in straw but ease of looking after them over winter will vastly make up for it. Current pens will be used for summer only going forward.
Yeah hopefully you can get a good cover crop on them in the autumn which should reduce your summer feed and improve the ground too.And as this is pistonheads some toy news.
The unreliable NH T4s....
20221231_130725 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
Has been replaced by a Kubota M95GX
signal-2024-01-11-13-02-22-305 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
Way more than I need, but the extra weight has really helped with loader work, plus it doesn't break down like the NH constantly did.
The unreliable NH T4s....
20221231_130725 by Old_Chad, on FlickrHas been replaced by a Kubota M95GX
signal-2024-01-11-13-02-22-305 by Old_Chad, on FlickrWay more than I need, but the extra weight has really helped with loader work, plus it doesn't break down like the NH constantly did.
RIP little Minnow 
Vet visited Monday, gave him some antibiotics and diagnosed weak immune system and suspected bacterial infection / pneumonia. He perked up no end Monday afternoon but found he had died in his sleep over Monday night. Gutted, he was such a happy chap and always up for a chat
20231203_174812 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
20231217_175521 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
20231225_100604 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
IMG_20240108_173026_323 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
Vet visited Monday, gave him some antibiotics and diagnosed weak immune system and suspected bacterial infection / pneumonia. He perked up no end Monday afternoon but found he had died in his sleep over Monday night. Gutted, he was such a happy chap and always up for a chat20231203_174812 by Old_Chad, on Flickr20231217_175521 by Old_Chad, on Flickr20231225_100604 by Old_Chad, on FlickrIMG_20240108_173026_323 by Old_Chad, on FlickrA bit of an update, the pig pen field is now a swamp, so piggies are moving into the orchard.
C&L have a new pen under the oak trees, will extending some more but it was put in in a hurry
20240326_153851 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
Splashed out on a load of mobile fencing for the little pigs, now split into girls and boys pens
20240328_124131 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
20240329_133012 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
Patches and Bucket are still living it up in the barn, I cannot get to my pig houses with the tractor right now due to the mud so although they have a pen outside it doesn't have a house to go into it. Both are now registered boars as they meet the breed standard. Patches is staying, Bucket will be for sale once he has proved he can produce a litter.
20240329_130050 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
20240329_130039 by Old_Chad, on Flickr
All the little ones are going to be gone by next weekend, off to various local farms. Next litters will be planned for August/September time, want to get a barn up before then though.
C&L have a new pen under the oak trees, will extending some more but it was put in in a hurry
20240326_153851 by Old_Chad, on FlickrSplashed out on a load of mobile fencing for the little pigs, now split into girls and boys pens
20240328_124131 by Old_Chad, on Flickr20240329_133012 by Old_Chad, on FlickrPatches and Bucket are still living it up in the barn, I cannot get to my pig houses with the tractor right now due to the mud so although they have a pen outside it doesn't have a house to go into it. Both are now registered boars as they meet the breed standard. Patches is staying, Bucket will be for sale once he has proved he can produce a litter.
20240329_130050 by Old_Chad, on Flickr20240329_130039 by Old_Chad, on FlickrAll the little ones are going to be gone by next weekend, off to various local farms. Next litters will be planned for August/September time, want to get a barn up before then though.
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