7.7.17 Pigs out

When we arrived home and got the pivot unstuck we remembered to check on the new little pigs. There were no pigs in the pen and it was dark. I sent a text to our close neighbors asking them to contact us if they saw them and we went to bed. This morning Livy was looking out the window and said "Mom the Pigs!!"

I threw on some shoes headed out the door with some fresh table scraps and hurriedly called for kids to come in from chores and the fields. We heard and ran and scared those pigs.

We gave up for a while because that is a lot of area to cover and we were getting no where. 

WE headed home to fix the pen and open it up. Animals usually want to go in a pen because people aren't there. An open gate is very important to catching animals being herded on foot. Well after a couple hours rest I went out ot hang some clothes and there were the pigs. I calmly called for reinforcements and the chause began. I can run fast!! Although I lacked the bravado of rodeo stars to just jump on a running animal. Yuck!

We chased them all around a 5 acre hay field which was about to my waist then one pig miraculously ran into the pen. Being social animals want to be with their kind so we knew the other would want to go in too. We chased it into a corner and Anna being much more brave and hardy than her mother grabbed a leg or tail or something to detain it. 

The little girls had been holed up nearby in the chicken house watching our rustling. 

Finishing touches on fixing the pen.
There is such a tremendous difference in size of new pigs versus finished pigs always takes some finagling to get the pen tight and escape safe again.

The hot tired escapees hopefully learning where home is. We squirted them down to cool them off. Left mud (that's how they survive the heat), milk to drink, and some nice fried potatoes. They should be happy little pigs. The herding crew checking for escape possibilities. honestly running through hay chasing pigs makes memories... and amazes me at my still possed speed. As my dear 99 year old friend told me after she won the age division for a race (She was pushed in her wheelchair) yesterday, "I don't know my own power!" Ditto!!! Best of all the pigs are in! OR were hopefully it stays that way.