Sunday 22 May 2011

...and then there were two

Rather upsettingly there were two more piglets missing today, again I looked incase they had wondered off, but no. I think that something is coming in to their feild and taking them, snake? fox? dog? bird of prey?

Worse than that, the mother has an eye infection which I have been trying to deal with, I got her to lie down today and I had a good look in her eye only to discover that there is no longer an eye there ??????

I am left with a feeling of resignation and almost despair, understanding intellectually that these things happen and it's all part of the farm cycle and of nature, doesn't change that today I feel a bit quiet and sad.



2 comments:

Julia & Mick said...

As we put in our FB comment, a big hug to you both, as this situation must be very distressing for you and Mummy Pig. It's the 'not knowing' scenario which is the hardest thing to accept. If it is a natural predator, then that's nature and you have to accept it... But heaven forbid, if it is someone pinching them to hand rear them, then that's crazy and they should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves. Just hope no more go missing and that Mum is OK with only one eye, bless her. That makes you think it may be a predator/fight with her Mum, but then you would expect more clues, I.e. More lacerations. Knowing you , you will have googled pig diseases to see if there's any other explanation. Mick's theory is an eagle has swooped down, attacked the mother and cleanly taken her eye out with his claw and then gone back and taken the piglets away. Our hearts go out to you and you're in our thoughts, always XX

Rick and Sarah said...

hey guys, now there is only one, so tomorrow i expect they'll be none!!!! getting some special oinkment from a friend as can't afford the stuff i really need from the chemist and they didn't know if they could get it either. her eye may still be there it's just rolled back a bit, i don't know, will try this new eye stuff tomorrow morning and hope that it clears up. I am just left feeling fed up with the whole thing and just want to be rid of all the pigs now, i am not having any more livestock until a) we are living there and b) there is sufficient housing for them all. The locals are convinced it's not a fox or a bird, it could be a neighbours cats? we have to let it go, rick is not that bothered, he's more interested in moving all his wood and generally beasting himself, i burst out crying today at the builders merchants, how pathetic