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The Fat Ewe Farm and Moose Hills Inn
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RAven Predation

3/6/2015

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The full moon brought the potbelly piglets to the Fat Ewe Farm, but the ravens ate all but one. The long survivor  with its mother, and she is doing a good job of protecting him or her. Although I did pick the baby up, it stressed poor Clara too much, so I just returned him to her, but he could be a she. I have had very poor luck with pot belly piglets on this farm. The first ones were eaten by an airial predator, but they were on the east side of the barn. That was 3 years ago. I sold those piggies and then got a different pair. The sow, in a mad attempt to nest, kept scattering her babies out of the nest, then they got cold and died from exposure. That happened twice and I sold those piggies. 
This is a young pair and this is their first breeding. 

All was well. She was huge and I thought for the two weeks prior, she was ready. Then the weather got extremely cold and I hoped she waited and finally, it warmed up and the moon was full and she had her babies. From the size of her, she should have had a least six for a first time mother. Only one survives. 

The ravens have been dining at the Fat Ewe Farm since we came here. They eat the meat from the dog bones and they now eat the pot belly pig's food that is left from the day before. Food is expensive and they are not welcome to help themselves. The boar does not like them and tries to chase them away, but he is just about the same size as a large raven. The baby piglets would not have stood a chance, but in order to get at them, the raven would have to land on the ground and hop into her shelter. I guess they did. 

The ravens have eaten a new born lamb, two years ago and they have eaten two sick sheep that may have lived. They pecked their eyes out. I cannot imagine that. Being alive and sick and having your eyes pecked out would be Hell. 

Needless to say, I am not pleased with the ravens. There was one small family when I arrived and over the past three years, they have multiplied and now there are four with four to five members in each unkindness. Yes, that is what a group of ravens is called. Fitting, isn't it, to be called an unkindness, for that is what they are on a small ruminant and small animal farm. Something must be done. I do not own a gun, only a paintball gun, and I will try to shoot them with that, hopefully marking at least one. Ravens are smart. They don't like to go where they could get hurt, but the food at the Fat Ewe Farm is very good and plentiful for the taking. The pork is served rare and warm in small portions with the skin on.

I am sick about this. Poor mamma pig. All those days of being pregnant and then going through delivery to have the babies eaten. The ravens may be back for the survivor tomorrow. I do not have a place to lock her up with him until he is bigger, but I will build a house I can lock for the future generations and make a caged outdoor area to keep them safe. In the meantime, I will also try to find someone to kill a few ravens and make some traps that can be put on posts and roofs where they land. I am sorry to have to do that, but sorrier to have let the piggies down. Sad day on The Fat Ewe Farm, it was. 
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    Fluffy writes daily about the experiences on the farm and with the bed and breakfast patrons. 

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