Critter Update
It is snowing today. We may get as much as 15-20cm. The wind makes it feel much colder than the -3C teperature.
It is a good day to stay indoor and pray for Spring. It should have started by now.
The runt piglet is no longer a runt. He has grown quite a bit. Unfortunately, he is not longer a swine. He has become a cat.
"Hey! why do you keep ruining our picture."
I have been trying to take a picture of the runt sleeping behind the woodstove with the twelve cats all around and on top of him. Everytime I try Gage plops himself down in front to get into the picture and some of the cats scurry out of reach. (They are not as trusting as the runt.)
In this picture the runt got up from lying behind Gage and came around to figure out what is going on. This was my third try at getting the picture . I think my last, for now.
The other day, the runt fell off the back porch and found his way around to the front porch and the front door to grunt to be let in. This is the second time he has taken this tumble, a fall of about three feet. For all I know he may have jumped. I put him and the cats out on the back porch to eat when the weather is suitable. On nice days, the runt is out of the front porch which is sheltered and he can lie in the sun.
The above picture is a couple of weeks ago. I tried to put the runt back with the other piglets and the sows as the were eating some cracked corn on the ground. It seems he has forgotten he is a pig. He hung around the edge of the feeding circle and finally headed for the ramp and "home" ( the front door.) That is when I knew I was in trouble.
I need to now find a way to get him out of the house. Can you imagine an 800 or 900 pound boar scratching at the front door to get in.?
When the weather warms a little I will fix up a pen in the shed just for the runt. It seems the idea of raising him to end up on a meat hook is loosing favour around the house.
I decided to bring in a couple of other piglets that were having trouble. Here the other two are in the company of the runt in the wood box. As you can see the runt is no longer the runt. In the middle is another runt. She is limping a little on a front leg so I brought here in for a day. Wisely I returned her to her mother. She seems to have a lot of heart and is a gamer out on the ice and snow in spite of a limp.
The big white piglet is another story. It is having trouble with its hind leg (s). While there is not visible injury I suspect it got kicked or stepped on my a cow. He has been resting in the woodbox for a couple of days. The runt, as porcine prince get the run of the kitchen to eat the cat and dogs food, sleep with the cats and try to suck on Gage's ears. Such a kind a patient dog! He has not turned on the runt yet.
Gage is capable of agression. We saw it last week when he had the neighbours large dog down my the neck. ( Not the bull terrier which killed my former dog, Ben) I had to break it up and the neighbour's dog has not been back since, which is too bad as he is a lovely dog which has even walked into my house. The two dogs seemed to be friends often playing together. David insists the other dog got too close to the piglets and Gage seemed to want to assert his dominance. I don't know if this is true. As long as Gage continues to see me as the alpha dog of our pack of critters all will be well.
I hope those of you who interested in my life with the animals, enjoy this posting on a snowy March day.
posted by Tossing Pebbles in the Stream @ 3:06 p.m.
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10 Comments:
I'm glad it's losing favor. You can't eat something you have raised and slept with. He is so cute right now. Stay warm, spring is on the way!
Interested and enjoying ...
Enjoyed reading about your animals. They sound like a lot of fun.
Thanks for your interesting comment on my blog today.
Keep posting about life with all the critters--I enjoy your stories.
And, as one partial to piglets, I particularly enjoy hearing about the runt stories. Sounds like a very spoiled piglet to me.
Ah, that was a great post to read early in the morning ! (it's 6 am) You should start a special blog with anecdotes about your life with animals ! I am sure you will get a lot of readers ! That's sooooo cute ! I felt in love with little runt, he seems to be very intelligent and you could never eat it as a spare rib ! I just imagine a runt at my front door asking to be let in, lol ! I think you should propose names that we all could participate to find a name for him. Runt is too commun ! I am sure that Gage is defending his little family !
The runt does think he has found his niche in life doesn't he! Of course, and a friend and protector in Gage. I think Gage has a wonderful temperament from what I read here. He seems to protect you all well and he must have the patience of a saint to put up with 12 cats and a pig sucking on his ear! :o)
I hope it warms up for you all soon. I think the weather can bring us down. Spring brings more sunshine, more colour and relights our optimism for things!
In the meantime, stay warm.
I do enjoy reading about your animals, but sorry to hear you're getting more snow. Echinacea was an interesting result!
I'm always interested to hear how your and the animals are... Gage sounds like he can and will look after the pack when he thinks it threatened.. like you say he needs as any dog dose.. he needs to know you are the boss.
I laughed at the explots of the runt.. I hope the other two come on as well as the first one.. but becareful if all 3 want to move in... I can see you moving out... Animal Farm comes to mind... 2 legs Bad ..4 legs good. ;o)
Gage was probably doing as the neighbour said he was. Looking out for 'his' family!!!
Oh dear. Runt looks like he's going to be difficult to turn into bacon. They are very personable animals--though as he gets bigger, he'll become less endearing.
My sheep came home--took him a while to figure it out and when he got here he was pretty insulted that he'd been asked to think for himself. Chops is a follower and not used to making decisions on his own.
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