27th Dec 2008
There have been one or two sightings of Basil but he has not returned home. I put food out for hime every night but it is always still there in the morning.
I only hope he has moved on to new territory and found himself a wife. She will need him now to care for her and her cubs when they are born in the early spring, so if he does return we will feed him but not put him back in his pen.
still have one or two of Tessy's babies. Hattie is due her first litter on 30th Dec.
28th Nov 2008
Well Arthur has now settled in and is 'one of the lads'. All of Tessy's babies are thriving and the two little boys have been castrated. Angies two are leaving home this weekend to go and live in Hampshire and her remaining little boar will probably stay with me.
Some bad news - Basil, the youngest fox has disappeared. He dug out of his pen on Tuesday night and we haven't seen him since. Its not unusual for our foxes to go AWOL on occassions especially at this time of year (breeding season) but they do usually return for food every evening. Basil is only young so would not be very good at fending for himself yet. The local shoot are out today so i hope he is keeping his head down.
1st Nov 2008
Tessy's babies have visited the vet as two of them have a chest infection. One is worse than the other so fingers crossed for that one.
Arthur arrived yesterday, he is our new boar. He is an absolutely beautiful little fat cream coloured chappie. look out for photos on the gallery soon!
21st Oct 2008
Yesterday, Tessy Bear, our Rebecca Gina gave birth to her first litter. 8 piglets in all - 3 boars, 5 gilts all doing well at present but of course, the first week of life is crucial.
Tessy seems to be a very calm quite mum and has plenty of milk, although she is a tiny little thing herself so 8 looks like a huge litter.
8th Oct 2008
Two weeks to wait until our young Rebecca Gina gilt has her first litter. She has moved out of the paddock away from the other pigs today and is free ranging on the farm now. She will go into the 'maternity barn' each night now to get used to her new surroundings where her litter will be born. Watch this space!
30th Sept 2008
At long last our young Trish gilt has come in season - at the age of 18 months! iI had given up on her really and so am delighted that she went to our Andrew boar and has not returned in season. Piglets due 30th December - I know where i will be seeing in the New Year !!
24th Sept 2008
Angelina (Jenny bloodline) gave birth to 5 piglets in the early hours of this morning. A couple of beauties in the litter but disappointing in number as we were expecting a few more from Angie who normally produces large litters.
11th Sept 2008
Today I took Lilyroo, one of our hand reared foxes, down to Sussex where she will soon be released to the wild.
Although brought up in captivity and as part of our animal 'family', Lily never really settled in the copse where our other foxes live and was obviously pining for a wild life. It was an easy decision to make knowing that she will be a much happier fox when free.
She has gone to a friend of mine - Dani - who cares for orphaned and injured foxes, where she will be gradually rehabilitated to the wild and then released in a few weeks time. Dani will continue to leave food for her until Lily stops returning - an indication that she has either moved on to pastures new or has learned to hunt for herself. We brought home 'Heathcliffe', a rather bedraggled looking dog fox who is having trouble looking after himself and keeps handing himself in to the RSPCA in the hope of a suare meal and a dry bed!
Heathcliffe will live with Basil, a young dog fox cub, in the bottom copse.
10th Sept 2008
Our second group of piglets left today for Holland.
I transported them myself and we set out at 3.00am for Dover docks.
All went well and we arrived in Dunkirque at lunch time. The piglets went from Dunkirque to their two seperate daestinations in Holland where they will form part of the foundation breeding stock for the Dutch Kunekune Pig Society which was recently formed.