Such a day of drama yesterday. We went off at 4.00 to collect our new gilts - a cross between Welsh (conventional pink pigs) and Gloucester Old Spot. They created a bit when we moved them from their sty to the back of our car, we lifted them by their back legs,
squealing for all they were worth - Paul got his first taste of carrying a little wriggler -
with a lot more kick in them than our boys at that age. So sorry I
haven't got a photo to show you, but it was too precious a moment to route around for the camera. They soon settled down in the car, and enjoyed the now traditional reading of
Pigling Bland on the way home.
Back here, we had the releasing routine off to a fine art. We'd been tipped off that they would bond better with our saddle backs if they all smelt the same, so Alfie gave them all a good spray of
Addidas Total Champion, and they got along just fine, tucking into the food we gave them. Whether the scent wore off, or if they all just got wise to what was going on, the boys started to chase the girls, who really hated this, and tried to hide behind the house. We decided to tough it out, and went in to prepare supper - some lovely lamb chops, bought locally, done on the BBQ with a middle eastern spice rub. , when Alfie shouted "the pigs are out", which always makes me think of donkeys on the lawn (David
Copperfield). We all ran out, and started to corner them - not easy with all this space. Finally, with a bit of luck, and a lot of pig food, Paul managed to grab Maple's back legs, and got her over the fence, into the run. Oak followed her, and we went to settle them back down, Alfie did an excellent group therapy session with them on mutual respect. Back in for the delicious supper, just opened the second bottle of wine, when Harry shouted, "they're out", we ran out, did the whole pig trapping/grabbing thing again, but decided there was no way they would stay in the pen with the boys, so we put them in an enclosed area by the house, previously used for chickens. They obviously needed a temporary house, fortuitously, we had picked out of a skip in
Twickenham a lovely
Victorian water tank, which is just the perfect size for two little pink pigs. A ,big pile of straw and it looked really cosy. Well, they must have thought so, because they were fast asleep in there this morning.
Spent a lovely day today getting to know the girls, and watching them get a bit braver round us. The boys are totally at home now, and eat out of our hands.
Back here, we had the releasing routine off to a fine art. We'd been tipped off that they would bond better with our saddle backs if they all smelt the same, so Alfie gave them all a good spray of Addidas Total Champion, and they got along just fine, tucking into the food we gave them. Whether the scent wore off, or if they all just got wise to what was going on, the boys started to chase the girls, who really hated this, and tried to hide behind the house. We decided to tough it out, and went in to prepare supper - some lovely lamb chops, bought locally, done on the BBQ with a middle eastern spice rub. , when Alfie shouted "the pigs are out", which always makes me think of donkeys on the lawn (David 
Copperfield). We all ran out, and started to corner them - not easy with all this space. Finally, with a bit of luck, and a lot of pig food, Paul managed to grab Maple's back legs, and got her over the fence, into the run. Oak followed her, and we went to settle them back down, Alfie did an excellent group therapy session with them on mutual respect. Back in for the delicious supper, just opened the second bottle of wine, when Harry shouted, "they're out", we ran out, did the whole pig trapping/grabbing thing again, but decided there was no way they would stay in the pen with the boys, so we put them in an enclosed area by the house, previously used for chickens. They obviously needed a temporary house, fortuitously, we had picked out of a skip in Twickenham a lovely Victorian water tank, which is just the perfect size for two little pink pigs. A ,big pile of straw and it looked really cosy. Well, they must have thought so, because they were fast asleep in there this morning. 
Spent a lovely day today getting to know the girls, and watching them get a bit braver round us. The boys are totally at home now, and eat out of our hands.
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