Yes, the wait is finally over, not only for the Duchess of Cambridge, but for our pig Elsie, most of our village and many of my 365 and facebook friends too.
warning:- this is a very long and wordy write-up (my 365 project is more of a journal this year than it was last) so if you want the edited highlights (and I certainly wouldn't blame you), they are - Elsie had 11 piglets, Kate had a baby boy.
For the more intrepid reader.....................
I was up at 6 to wave Angus off on the first day of his one week's work experience at a super-trendy architecture firm in London. Not only will it be his first week of full-time work, but he will have about three hours a day's commute. He is not going to know what has hit him by the end of the week, and then he has got a week at a civil engineering firm, also in London, next week. My poor baby, he's not even 16 until the middle of next week. Fortunately Graham had managed to arrange things so he would be working in London for the day, so was able to show Angus how to navigate the underground and find his office.
When he had gone I went up for my first check of the day of Elsie, who was by now about five days over her due date. I noticed that many of the weeds in her enclosure had been cleared and piled up in one corner. I assumed that Graham had been strimming until I saw Elsie heading towards me with her mouth full of thistles and grass. From my reading I knew that nest-building is the first sure sign that the babies are going to be born within the next few hours.
So I went back down to the house to get a few things (my camera, my book, a flask of coffee and a folding chair) and started my vigil. While I was getting my stuff together I turned on the TV news and discovered that the Duchess of Cambridge was also in the early stages of labour, so the race was on!
The fact that the nest had been made outside was not too surprising given the recent temperatures, but was certainly a bit of a worry because although it was forecast to be the hottest day of the year to date, heavy rain and thunderstorms were also on the cards. So I went and got another bale of straw in the hope of enticing her into her farrowing house. Eventually this worked. A new nest was made and a heavily panting Elsie took up residence.
Pigs usually give birth easily and once things started happening this was the case here, so although it is quite a good thing to be there at the time it is by no means necessary. There is quite a high incidence of still-birth in pigs, and this is often because the membrane which covers the piglet when it comes out doesn't break causing it to suffocate. So as the babies popped out at roughly ten minute intervals I wiped them with a towel to remove the membrane, sprayed their umbilical cords with 'purple spray' which is an antiseptic, and put them near Elsie's teats. I would like to think that this in some way helped towards the birth of eleven seemingly healthy, lively piglets.
Sam, who is now on his school holidays came and joined me after the birth of the first piglet. The whole experience was incredible and, being a complete novice at this kind of thing, I was really surprised by a couple of things. Firstly that the mother takes absolutely no notice of the babies as they are born, so doesn't help them out of the sac. I suppose that this is understandable given that she is still in labour; and secondly how long the umbilical cords are, although after a couple of hours they have magically shrunk to a few centimetres long. Sam was genuinely concerned that they were going to get knotted together.
Sam was very reluctant to leave the babies to go to his cricket match last night. So was I, but mainly because it was absolutely miles away in Towcester. In the end his team got completely thrashed. I always find it a bit unsatisfactory when the team is all out for less runs than the number of miles I have had to drive to get him to the match.
Oh yes, and I think that somebody mentioned the Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to our future king yesterday afternoon.
Lovely newsy write up Jan as usual & a very good description on the farrowing habits of pigs!
They are all adorable, all pink & spotty, I used to love the warm silky feel of them wriggling around. They all seem to be latching on well....hope the new prince is doing the same!
I'm sure if we knew exactly where you lived you would have had a paparazzi of 365ers plus cameras!!
Most impressed with your Angus braving the big smoke at that age....my Anthony had never been to London until he set off for NZ when he was 22!!
Loved the reasoning re the cricket score!!!
haha...love the story, and the comparison of Kate vs Elsie...haha! Cute little piglets. I love baby animals and look forward to your pics as the piglets mature. :)
If the new prince is half as cute he'll be gorgeous! Funny that she ignores them - our cat looked completely amazed but then licked it like a mad thing (sadly the bottom end so I helped her out) until the kitten cried - and then for a bit longer as they do like things clean of course. I suppose they have a few more 'spare' piglets :0(
What a wonderful write up Jan, you have such a way with words. So pleased to see the piglets and so many!!, beautiful little spotty creatures with brand new pink ears. So exciting. Wonderful shot. Well done Mrs Midwife. Fav
Fabulous. I'm glad I took the time to read your commentary. Hubby used to keep pigs so I'm sure he'll be interested to read this and see this gorgeous shot. Instant fav. Many congratulations xx
I guess I am the "intrepid reader" because I read every last word of it! I was enthralled! It reminded me of when I read "All Things Bright and Beautiful" and "All Creatures Great and Small" By James Herriot when I was a kid. Do you know those books? Anyway, I loved your story. And I know Elsie has to be so proud! Did she get to wear a blue and white polka dotted dress to meet the press with her new brood? Hee hee Kate did! Were you saying YOU are a novice with pigs having babies? Or Sam? And...I am glad that your son's hideous commute is for one week only. That is horrible. I have a two hour commute daily...but not in summer ...I am a teacher. I live in the suburbs of Atlanta, GA...not the best traffic in the world. But I listen to audiobooks to bide the time.
Oh thank you, interesting - and well done.
They are all adorable, all pink & spotty, I used to love the warm silky feel of them wriggling around. They all seem to be latching on well....hope the new prince is doing the same!
I'm sure if we knew exactly where you lived you would have had a paparazzi of 365ers plus cameras!!
Most impressed with your Angus braving the big smoke at that age....my Anthony had never been to London until he set off for NZ when he was 22!!
Loved the reasoning re the cricket score!!!
You might want to send the news to the Royals so they know their was another birth yesterday.