it doesn't get any easier

camillitech · Sun Sep 09, 2007 1:22 pm

Millymollymandy wrote:
camillitech wrote:and apart from missing milly,molly,mandy and morris it's been a good day.
Ahhhh! (can't remember, are they the hens, or the poor piggies? )

the poor piggies

the hens are ginger, dora, itchy and scratchy

Millymollymandy · Mon Sep 10, 2007 9:00 am

So you're gonna eat me?

I hope by the way you've got that louse powder for poor old Itchy and Scratchy by now.......

I've been trying to think up names beginning with M - cos the moorhens were named Milly, Molly, Mandy, Mindy, Mork and Mummy (our 1st year here when there were the 2 adults and 4 youngsters). Collectively they are known as 'The Millies'.

Now we've got Malcolm the muskrat and his/her two offspring Matthew and Matilda.

I needed some new 'M' names in case any more babies popped up. So the next one's gonna be Morris!

Stonehead · Post: # 70679Post **Stonehead** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 7:45 pm

Millymollymandy wrote:I needed some new 'M' names in case any more babies popped up. So the next one's gonna be Morris!

We use D in the same way. All the breeding gilts/sows get a name that starts with D - so we have Delilah (the princess and our best sow), Doris (the solid, just get on with it sow) and Dolores (the spotted floosie).

We should have a new sow joining the herd in a few weeks and the boys want to call her Daisy. They watched a Dukes of Hazzard episode recently! I'd prefer to wait and see what's like so we can match the name to the temperament.

Cockerels, on the other hand, tend to be named according to sound. So we've had Rustygate, Squeaker, Gluggle and Doodlewho. We made exceptions for the twins Wilbur and Orville - named after the Wright brothers as they can taxi but not fly - and for Johhny. But as Johnny gabbles like US talkshow host Johnny Carlson you can say he's named for his sound!

Thomzo · Post: # 70681Post **Thomzo** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 7:50 pm

Wow, so it's not just me. All my friends think I'm odd as all my cats' names have started with a "J".

How about 101 names starting with "M".

Zoe

Thurston Garden · Wed Sep 12, 2007 7:28 am

We take the cowards way and don't name anything destined for the table. Although I do confess that we both named our very first pigs but promised each never to utter the names out loud!

Our 23 hens are usually numbered. It's always number 23 that escapes

Stonehead · Post: # 70833Post **Stonehead** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 8:46 am

Thurston Garden wrote:We take the cowards way and don't name anything destined for the table. Although I do confess that we both named our very first pigs but promised each never to utter the names out loud!

The pig we took to slaughter yesterday was Rocket - and did she make life difficult. She thought the trailer made a very cosy bed and had absolutely no intention of getting up come unloading time.

I eventually managed to get her into a sitting position, then picked up her rear and "wheelbarrowed" her foward a few steps at a time. Not easy given her weight. Each time I stopped for a breather, she'd lie down in the straw and try to go back to sleep (well it was 6.30am).

When we got to the ramp, she found that uncomfortable so she finally stood up herself and did a huge, lazy stretch, as if to say "oh, all right then". Then she slowly ambled away into the abattoir to her pen, where she laid down and went back to sleep.

That was one relaxed pig!

Our oldest boy has been responsible for feeding and watering her, for moving her and then for helping me load/unload her. He's noted it all down as part of a journal for getting his Animal Friendship badge at Beavers, and plans to write a description of sausage making to finish the journal. However, the Beavers aren't entirely convinced that rearing an animal and eating it counts as animal friendship!!!

theabsinthefairy · Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:10 pm

Our two Duroc are on their last couple of weeks now as the last of the pig feed is used up and there is not much left in the veggie plot for them to clean up.

I was looking at an American website the other day to find the weight equation to work out how heavy they are, and was very amused by the wording on the website.

Approach the pig - Be calm. Don't rush in. Talk to the pig. Be normal. Be yourself. Take your time. Don't rush her. Offer her a drink. Give her something to eat. Then when she's distracted try rubbing her shoulders a little. Let her get relaxed and used to you before you make your move and start putting your arms around her in ways that might be misconstrued.

Sounds nicer than some dates I've been on.

camillitech · Sat Oct 20, 2007 3:03 am

well like i said it don't get any easier

but it don't stop me doing it allover again

these are our latest arrivals, george, dean, isla, and iona and apart from the two we'll be picking up on monday they will probably be our last as we are due to become self sufficient in piglets shortly (3rd nov

)

Thurston Garden · Sun Oct 21, 2007 5:00 pm

4 smiling weaners!

Thomzo · Post: # 74732Post **Thomzo** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 7:20 pm

May they have short but happy lives.

Zoe

red · Post: # 74738Post **red** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 8:54 pm

they do look great.. I am very tempted to keep pigs

what are the downsides?

Millymollymandy · Mon Oct 22, 2007 8:03 am

Very cute, but not as cute as Milly, Molly and Mandy were!

Annpan · Post: # 74782Post **Annpan** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 12:54 pm

I'd love to keep pigs, but I don't have the space

They are the ideal animal to raise for meat... They are sooo cute when they are piglets and as you feed them up and they get heavier, noiser and uglier... then you send them to slaughter and you get sausages and bacon....what could be more ideal?

As for Animal friendship badge - isn't it friendlier than eating the produce of tortured poorly animals that have never seen the light of day?