Wilbur and Friends

We came up with FOURTEEN names for baby pigs. Our gilt (which is what you call a female pig until she has a second litter of piglets--then she is called a sow) had piglets yesterday. We were expecting six or seven baby pigs, but she had fourteen.

We've bought feeder pigs a couple times, when they weigh around 50 pounds, and fed them out to butcher. But last year we kept one of the gilts because Alan wanted to try breeding her and starting with pigs from birth. That's just who he is, you know--always trying something different. So we bought a boar (or daddy pig, as we told the little ones) in August and three months, three weeks, and three days later (how would you like THAT pregnancy term, ladies?!) we have baby pigs.
We had so much fun watching part of the birth process and seeing the little cuties root around and find their food. Destry pronounced them "the cutest things he has ever seen."
They really are very cute. And she is being such a good mama. We've heard stories about mean mommas who are aggressive to humans, or lay on their babies, or even eat their babies. So far, she is being a perfect mama, she's careful how she lays down, and she barely turns her head to look at us when we come in to quietly observe her and her little sweeties.
Two of the piglets are significantly smaller than their brothers and sisters. They seem to be doing very well, but she has only 12 teats and 14 babies. We are bringing these two piglets in the house part of the time to make sure they're getting enough to eat.

According to my book (hey, how else do you expect me to come alongside my husband in this endeavor?!) 60% of runts die. I'm hoping that doesn't happen here or we'll have some sad kiddos learning another life lesson. Meanwhile, we're loving on them and feeding them and trying to keep them warm.
Easton and Kiana think this is absolutely wonderful, of course. Easton is quite the nurturer, and he has dubbed the two runts 'Scamper' and 'Snowflake' off one of his favorite movies--about penguins!!!!

We're thinking to name the rest of the piglets after famous pigs in literature. You get extra points if you can tell me what books the names come from! (I know, some blogs have giveaways, but all I have is points--big deal, hmmm?)

1. Wilbur
2. Pinky
3. Napoleon
4. Snowball
5. Gub-Gub
6. Oliver
7. Snuggle Piggy (although we're just calling him Snuggle, but in the book he is called 'Snuggle Piggy')
8. Positive Pig
9. Lester
10. Freddy
11. Babe
12. Olivia
    

Here is a clip of the piggies when they are just minutes old. We'll be having lots of fun around here the next few days!