Food & Swine

4 pigs moving on

MommyHallePigs

I’m pleased but unusually saddened to let you know that my 4 swine children left our garage this morning.  We’ve really had some ups and downs with those adorable little piglets but they all look great and are thoroughly enjoying themselves in their new ‘digs’.  (Which is a large barn, a nice heated facility with other pigs we own.)  They’ve grown up and become strong enough to move on which is extremely exciting but completely saddening at the same time.  I’ll miss those little pigs.  A lot.  I brought my camera out to document their big move (just like you would when you send your children off to their first day of school or college).  The kids were sad to know we wouldn’t have pigs in the garage anymore but helped get them loaded in the backseat of the pickup in the same big red tub they first lived in when they arrived here on December 23rd.  They filled the tub up quite a bit.  Three of the 4 pigs weigh in at 15-16 lbs + and the one little ‘fall-behind’ “Wiggles” who we thought we’d lose a few weeks ago is tipping the scales at 11 lbs. which is pretty good considering the shape he was in.

The thing about today I’ll never forget was the utter ‘dressing down’ that my daughter issued these pigs as she was petting them all goodbye.  (I went in the house immediately and wrote it down so I wouldn’t forget.)

“Now you pigs, I love you and I will miss you.  So you know, I will be seeing you again.  You will be bigger. I don’t want you pushing each other around.  And Jackson, don’t eat all of the food.  Don’t be biting each other’s tails either.  Just be nice.  I love you.  Good Bye.  I love you.” one pet for each pig and she smiled as she slammed the truck door, only to re-open it…

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“AND DON’T BE BITING EACH OTHER’S EARS, I mean it!”, slamming the door one last time.

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They will be missed!  I’ll update you on their status occasionally going forward.  I’m proud to say we saved them all.  It seemed like a pipe dream when they were nine days old that we’d be able to say we raised them all up and could send them onto the next leg of their adventure.  But darn it, we did it.  It seems like forever ago my husband was feeding them by a bottle.  They grew up so fast, too fast. They are amazing little creatures. I’d like to thank everyone who has ever read this blog and thought about us and these little pigs. I can’t tell you the number of emails, messages and calls I get about them on a regular basis and that has been so helpful. Thank you, every call, thought, wish etc. made this whole process promising and successful.

This is the usual sight in the morning, checking on the pigs.  (She’s trying to get “Hopper” to jump.)  She was sad that this would be the last day.

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Little guys like pigs too…

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They were getting a little crazy, jumping over the feeder, blasting each other from side to side.

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Hey Mama!  We are out of here!

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Getting a little play-time in before they ‘shipped out’.

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“Black Tennis Shoe” has high swine appeal.

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Piglet Pet Taxi Express:

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My husband taught me a lot through this whole experience.

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Getting them used to the show stick just for fun.  It worked more like a cat chaser-toy.

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Spreading the love…

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This pig always looks like he’s smiling!  I should get him a commercial.

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How can you resist?

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Remember their first picture?  Helpless little things.  (You can  only see the feet of the 4th pig in this pic.)

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Thanks for following along!  I’ll be updating you with more new arrivals in our pig-family.  Cinnamon and Diamond are due in a few weeks followed by OINK!.  We’re going to have red pigs, painted pigs, bright white pigs and everything in between.  I’ll have to admit, I’m most excited to see the little down-eared red Duroc piglets.  They’ll be a great Valentine’s Gift!

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8 Comments

  • Reply Tammy Gaudette January 23, 2014 at 2:01 am

    I have enjoyed reading this and seeing all the pictures. You have taught your children a great lesson in life!!! And how do you always look so darn beautiful even with pigs!
    Tammy

    • Reply mikeandcristen January 23, 2014 at 3:51 am

      Awww thank you Tammy! You’re too kind.

    • Reply mikeandcristen January 28, 2014 at 4:07 pm

      Thank you Tammy! We certainly tried with those little pigs. Sad to see them go but we still check on them regularly. You can definitely tell they are pets, they are in their own pen away from other pigs and they jump like little puppies when any humans come around. XOXO Cristen

  • Reply robin January 28, 2014 at 2:37 pm

    You guys all did a fab job with these little buggers! So happy for you all. It’s so much work but so worth it when you can save them. Great job! And send me all your tips and tricks so I can learn how to do this, please.

    • Reply mikeandcristen January 28, 2014 at 4:06 pm

      I can send you everything we did, but let me tell you… your advice was best and we used it all! XOXO Cristen

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