Sunday 25 October 2009

Pigs in Muck?

Well what a time we have had!

My parents have recently been up, and I made sure they have mucked in....literally!!

We decided that as the pig area was so boggy after all the rain we have had, that we would move them to an area behind the barn!
So firstly we had to move them into the goat paddock so we could dismantle their fencing, they loved it in there, but unfortunately, the Billy didn't like them being in there, he battered his pen down to be free and ran straight to the paddock!
Great! we now had to find somewhere to put him! So while my partner held on tight to the billy, my dad kept the dogs at bay, mum and I herded the pigs into the Billie's pen and put a temporary door on till we sorted the billy out. But he didn't want to be in there alone, so we put the nannies in with him, then moved the pigs into one of the nannies pens with a secure door! Phew! Talk about hard work! and this was just the start of it!

We then dismantled the pigs fencing and while my partner rebuilt it, my mother shovelled goat muck into the now vacant mud quagmire, while my dad and I spread ed it out, for it to do two jobs...absorb the access water and fertilise the area ready for next year!
Unfortunately, walking in this stuff was like walking in glue! when i wasn't stuck, i fell in! The first time I fell backwards and sat in the goat muck while my feet, in their wellies, were stuck in the mud!
After a cuppa, it was back to work! which saw me fall face first into the same area! Grrr I was not a happy bunny especially as the rain that was now coming down, made the mud stickier!
By late afternoon, I was sore and mucky, we were all tired, dad and my partner tried to fix the Billie's pen, while we put the kettle on.
The final straw for us all was when i got stuck yet again, fell forward onto my mother and put two large hand prints on her white T-shirt! but while i was struggling to get back up, mum had the fits of giggles(glad she saw the funny side).
We decided enough was enough...the pig area was complete and while i cleaned up, the other herded the pigs into their new area....unfortunatly...dad stood on a rake that promptly smacked him in the nose!....all i could picture while he was telling me was the cartoon Tom and Jerry, and of course i giggled.

So a week after the pigs being in their new area, they seemed to have settled in nicely....until today! Salt climbed the fence trying to get at the bucket of feed that i was about to throw in for them! Grrr
So I took down the fencing, and I then had to herd Salt back in...which would of been fine if Pepper hadn't of came out!
Finally after putting Pepper back in and keeping Salt in...i quickly re fixed the fencing!
All this stress and hassle will end soon....the both go to the abattoir, around the 16th of next month....Ham for christmas i think!