Orphan piglet update

I wrote about a piglet that I was bottle feeding at home -- you'll find that entry here.    Today is the day she gets re-introduced to the herd at the farm. 

Here's patch looking out the door of her shelter at the dog.  She's not at all afraid of the dogs after having been in the house for the last few weeks. 

  Pigs prefer to sleep in piles and groups.  Given the choice between a nice shelter that's bedded with dry wood chips and the cold ground they choose...

to sleep on the cold ground.  I cannot figure that out.  If it's raining they'll move into the shelters, but they'll lay out in the open in a light rain, too.  Here they're jostling a little for best position.  You can see patch on the left bottom, facing us. 

Underneath this little pig is stripe, her mom.  Stripe is very patient with the piglets and has proven to be a capable mother.  Patch likes stripe and will probably end up adopted by her. 

Patch is still pretty fond of me though.  When she sees me she gives the piglet-greeting -- high-pitched rapid oinking.  Piglets are the only ones who make that particular sound -- it seems to mean that they're happy to see you, or that they recognize you, or "I want ot be friends".  They make it when they approach a larger pig, but never maket it when they're greeing piglets their own size.

Kinda sad to see you rejoin the herd, but you'll be happy here for the next few years.