It's been just over a week since the piglets were weaned and, as far as Ginger is concerned, life has returned to normal. Which is not to say that she took the weaning totally in her stride.
We left her happily trolling around with the boys that evening and she gave no visible indication that she was in the least bit perturbed. Quite the contrary. We went to bed quite relaxed, having checked them all around 10pm. Not even a tiny grunt emerged.
Next morning we were more than surprised when she greeted us from her farrowing pen. Which we had closed all access to. We thought.
On closer inspection we noticed that the fence (where you can see the hurdle in the picture) was rather dented. She had obviously clambered over it. From there she had gone on quite a long investigative journey (her trail clearly betrayed by the well rootled earth) - around the Poultry Palace, up towards the bantams, down the bridleway towards the Nasty Giant's premises and back again to the farrowing pen, which - it would seem - she entered by forcing her way through the gate (which we stupid humans had closed only with the top bolt). But she had been nowhere near the piglets.......
So we opened up access to the all pens again. We'll think about resting them when the wet weather had passed.
Meanwhile, we have lots of gloopy mud everywhere. Ginger is no less beautiful; in fact, they all seem to be quite enjoying the inevitable squelching and slooshing around. (They at least don't have to worry about losing their wellies in the mud).When they've had enough, they retreat to their ark (the new one is the current favourite) and roll around in the straw till they are, almost, clean again. Mealtimes pose a bit of a problem. They always want to eat out of the same bowl; that leads to argument and, invariably, the bowl gets tipped up - food submerges into the gloop and, hey presto, they move to the next bowl and repeat the process. No wonder we are getting through so many sacks of food!
Roll on spring.
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