Thursday, 31 March 2011
The Pigs Have it!
Well, as predicted, Doris has put those sheep in their place - 10 beautiful piglets born overnight. And just take a look - they have spots!!! After two years of plain white pigs finally a litter that look like little dalmatian pups. Seven girls and three boys, quite a handful, but of course Doris has been there manyn times before and is a very relaxed mother. And Cuckoo, the overdue mare...? No news there, she's still as round as a barrel and clearly very uncomfortable. there's a rota of people in every night to keep an eye on her, but nothing yet - we'll keep you posted.... Dudxx
Sunday, 20 March 2011
Springtime?
Regular followers must have thought we'd gone into hibernation - to be honest with those temperatures we were considering emigration. But the seasons turn and things change....
Firstly let me introduce myself, Dudley the new Duroc boar. "Cuddly Dudley" as the children call me (I prefer Dud the Stud). I have been drafted in to help with a serious lack of boar on the farm, someone to keep the sows in order and to ensure a regular supply of piglets. Well, I'm the pig for the job....
I've met Doris, the Old Spot, she's already in pig to a predecessor and I've now met Valentine and hopefully she will produce my first litter in June.
Then there's Mary and Virginia, they live just across the way so we're on nodding terms already, hopefully we'll be formally introduced before too long.
Next door on the one side there are 5 Aberdeen Angus calves, all heifers and pretty quiet on the whole. The children have been feeding them milk and they do like to bang their drinker very loudly on the gate at some ungodly hour every morning but apart from that I can't complain.
On the other side there are a pair of turkeys, Very and Lucky as they're called. Apparently they are the only survivors post-Christmas, but I'm hearing the word "Easter" being mentioned around them so I don't think they'll be a permanent fixture. To be honest they do make the most annoying noise and not just a food time. Every time anyone walks past they're off, day or night.
And as the weather started to warm up the annual cutting of the willow bed took place. The children came past with armfuls of different coloured willow sticks.
And under the watchful eye of Norah the basketmaker, these bundles of sticks were transformed into beautiful baskets.
And of course springtime means sheeptime, all anyone can talk about are sheep and lambs. First to lamb was one of the new Cotswolds, a lovely pair of twins, already with lovely woolly coats.
Then after a week all the others started and it was like a competition - who could produce the most lambs. Three sets of quads came in quick succession, and apparently it's rare to get one set.
Then after some sets of twins and triplets, news reached us of a set of quintuplets - 5 lambs from one ewe. I bet she was glad to give birth to them, the children had been calling her "Flying Saucer" as she was wider than she was long towards the end. Sadly one lamb didn't make it and two seemed to be struggling so they have been put in the special care unit - a box with a heat lamp!! Some warmth and regular bottles of milk and both are thriving.
It's funny isn't it, we pigs regularly produce litters of 10 or more and no-one makes a fuss - it seems there's one rule for one.....
And another expectant mother is also looking very uncomfortable - Cuckoo the mare was due to foal at the end of last week but still no sign. I've seen her walking past on her way to the field and she looks huge, let's hope she isn't having quads!!
So life as the new boar is looking pretty good, I have a splendid sty with ensuite facilities, plenty of straw for the cold nights and a lovely south-facing yard for sun bathing. The children are very good and meals are regular and delicious. And as my yard backs onto the bootwash I get to hear about everything that's been happening on the farm at regular intervals through the day, it's like news bulletins on the hour every hour.
And all around us are signs of spring - lambs in the orchard
catkins
vegetables sprouting in the polytunnel and -
best of all - blossom in the orchard - who could ask for more?
Dudx
Firstly let me introduce myself, Dudley the new Duroc boar. "Cuddly Dudley" as the children call me (I prefer Dud the Stud). I have been drafted in to help with a serious lack of boar on the farm, someone to keep the sows in order and to ensure a regular supply of piglets. Well, I'm the pig for the job....
I've met Doris, the Old Spot, she's already in pig to a predecessor and I've now met Valentine and hopefully she will produce my first litter in June.
Then there's Mary and Virginia, they live just across the way so we're on nodding terms already, hopefully we'll be formally introduced before too long.
Next door on the one side there are 5 Aberdeen Angus calves, all heifers and pretty quiet on the whole. The children have been feeding them milk and they do like to bang their drinker very loudly on the gate at some ungodly hour every morning but apart from that I can't complain.
On the other side there are a pair of turkeys, Very and Lucky as they're called. Apparently they are the only survivors post-Christmas, but I'm hearing the word "Easter" being mentioned around them so I don't think they'll be a permanent fixture. To be honest they do make the most annoying noise and not just a food time. Every time anyone walks past they're off, day or night.
And as the weather started to warm up the annual cutting of the willow bed took place. The children came past with armfuls of different coloured willow sticks.
And under the watchful eye of Norah the basketmaker, these bundles of sticks were transformed into beautiful baskets.
And of course springtime means sheeptime, all anyone can talk about are sheep and lambs. First to lamb was one of the new Cotswolds, a lovely pair of twins, already with lovely woolly coats.
Then after a week all the others started and it was like a competition - who could produce the most lambs. Three sets of quads came in quick succession, and apparently it's rare to get one set.
Then after some sets of twins and triplets, news reached us of a set of quintuplets - 5 lambs from one ewe. I bet she was glad to give birth to them, the children had been calling her "Flying Saucer" as she was wider than she was long towards the end. Sadly one lamb didn't make it and two seemed to be struggling so they have been put in the special care unit - a box with a heat lamp!! Some warmth and regular bottles of milk and both are thriving.
It's funny isn't it, we pigs regularly produce litters of 10 or more and no-one makes a fuss - it seems there's one rule for one.....
And another expectant mother is also looking very uncomfortable - Cuckoo the mare was due to foal at the end of last week but still no sign. I've seen her walking past on her way to the field and she looks huge, let's hope she isn't having quads!!
So life as the new boar is looking pretty good, I have a splendid sty with ensuite facilities, plenty of straw for the cold nights and a lovely south-facing yard for sun bathing. The children are very good and meals are regular and delicious. And as my yard backs onto the bootwash I get to hear about everything that's been happening on the farm at regular intervals through the day, it's like news bulletins on the hour every hour.
And all around us are signs of spring - lambs in the orchard
catkins
vegetables sprouting in the polytunnel and -
best of all - blossom in the orchard - who could ask for more?
Dudx
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
