La Chatte Gitane (or The Gypsy Cat) was the name we chose for our cottage in France at the time. We chose it while on the road, moving house the first time round, from Ireland to France with 2 dogs and 7 cats in the car.
This blog began its insignificant life as a recipe book for friends and family who would ask me repeatedly for a recipe of this, that and the other.
Since then it has taken many different directions, like we did and like gypsies tend to do. Sometimes making a U-turn and revisiting familiar roads and taking a break when necessary.
You'll find recipes here, but also musings about the places we've called home, the gardens that we've established, not always successfully, the homes we've improved and the environments we've lived in. Currently, after yet another stint in Ireland, we're back in France @ Le Mas d'Ayen

Monday, October 31, 2016

Oink Oink


It's been a while since I posted something about these girls.
They just go about their daily business of eating, sleeping,  rooting, playing and .....
escaping.

Well, it is not a daily business, the escaping, but often enough. Little bastards.


Each time we repair and reinforce the fence some more. Next step. Rolls of barbed wire. That'll teach'em.



These little madams  have about half an acre to roam on, but oh no, they prefer rooting in this piece of stony ground.

This lot doesn't seem to grow as fast as our previous pigs. In my opinion that is probably because we don't feed these ones 'finisher'. They are fed with fermented oats and barley, barley meal and whey (to which they are addicted) We also give vegetables and fruit from time to time, but it's not their favourite. You'll get their full attention when you come with a bucket of fresh grass clippings. Nom nom nom.

At this rate they'll be here for a while yet. That's fine by me.


Yesterday we had to say goodbye to Irma La Douce (the white chicken in the front). She was not well and we had to bite the bullet and relieve her from suffering. RIP, lovely girl.

Patricia xxx...x



9 comments:

  1. Patricia, we had the same problem of escapees...only ours were chickens...it went on for weeks, till I challenged my girls to prove to me that humans are far more intelligent than animals. They weighted every wire fence bottoms with roof tiles, and they've been happy and content inside the big pen since:) Sorry about your Irma...it's always sad when that happens:(

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    Replies
    1. I'm okay with our hens escaping the large enclosure they normally live in. We don't clip their wings either, just so they have more chance to escape from a fox or mink attack.
      On the photo above you see they are actually residing in the garage after a mink attack when they were locked up in their house for the night. We lost 4 hens and our beautiful rooster. :'(

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  2. Ooooh pigs and chooks, not for me I'm afraid. May they grow and lay and give you satisfaction

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  3. I'm not an expert on pigs, but to my unpractised eye those ones of yours do look a bit lean. The exercise gained when escaping must keep them fit!

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    1. They don't only look lean they don't grow in size either. I once dreamed that we had been sold micro pigs.

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  4. They don't seem to be gaining weight or condition do they! If they are consistently rooting around in a stony area rather than enjoying their larger space they could be deficient in some minerals and are looking for it themselves, just an idea. Free range pigs are very good at self medicating but sometimes they just can't find what they are looking for.

    Sorry to hear about your chicken :-( We have one that looks as though she doesn't want to be here anymore at the moment, I'm keeping an eye on her.

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    Replies
    1. Hmm ... Maybe we should think about supplementing their food with finisher. I am wary of the ready mix food pellets but at least all they need is in there.
      Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
      It is sad when you see they don't want to go on anymore. We acted quickly yesterday. I first thought she was egg bound but deteriorated fast.x

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  5. I have seen sows chewing stones, my gran said it is because the piglets takes so much out of them during pregnancy. I think Sue could be right about the minerals. They also eat mud. Kind of like a salt lick block for horses? call the breeder?

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