Pinky takes the piglets for a stroll

Here's pinky with her whole brood. She's been in a pen for the past month or so, and is glad to get out. Her piglets are big enough to fend for themselves with the herd, so we're turning them loose for a few hours each day. Pinky is still nursing the piglets, but is spending more and more time away from them. This encourages the piglets to eat solid food and drink water.

Commercial pig operations will often separate pigs from sows at 2 to 3 weeks. I prefer to let the pigs grow to full size by keeping them on the sow for 7 to 8 weeks. The piglets are running around squealing with joy and curious about everything.

Here the piglets are running at me in a group. So fast, in fact, that I can't take the picture fast enough to catch them all. They're fascinated by my muddy boots.