Say Cheese

When I took this picture last week, I was observing how comfy the pigs looked on a cold day and snuggled in their deep hay bedding. I also thought their nonchalant attitude toward the chicken walking over the top of them was a bit funny as she hopped from one to the other. As I took this picture, I did think about the possibility of writing my email about how we bed our hogs in the winter with deep hay bedding to keep them warm. You can tell from this photo that they enjoy this system and find it quite comfortable. What I didn't realize until I looked closely was that this pig was acting like a 4-year-old little boy with a camera pointed at him. Notice that she is literally sticking her tongue out at me. I zoomed in a couple of times to see if her mouth just happened to be open, but nope. She was definitely taunting the camera. I think I'll make a MEME sticker out of her face. I have probably wanted to respond to some folks with that exact sentiment. A little more about the barn: It is a hoop structure that is open air and lets in lots of light during winter but still provides shade in summer. The round hay bale is still partially intact, as you can see in the pic. I like to add the rolls of hay intact and let the pigs break them apart gradually. They enjoy the assignment, and it gives them a gradual increase in bedding over the course of a few weeks.