It’s cold.
Very cold.
The animals are fine. On a day this frigid, the hens get
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Even with temperatures this low, they don’t need heat in the coop. I’ve written about care for chickens in cold weather here.
The goats have furnaces in their bellies. Really! The bacteria in their guts that digest food generate heat. On a day like this, they get an extra flake of hay (put out on top of their tree out in the sun.) The goats are delighted with a reason to get more than their usual ration.
Tonka, too, will have extra hay. But with the windchill in the double digits below zero, he’s staying inside. I’ll be going to the barn after lunch to take him for a walk around the indoor to keep his day from being totally boring and to let him stretch his legs.
It’s the humans that have the hard time of it. Last night, when the wind chill was around 20 below, Steve realized that the pond’s water level was low and that the pump was making straining noises. So, he threaded a hose out from the basement, filled up the pond and cleaned out the filter, making sure that Beast’s lair would keep her safe through the rest of the winter.
You do what you have to do, but for now the animals are tucked in, Steve is reading the Sunday paper, and I’m about to make brownies for Valentine’s Day.
Stay safe and cozy everyone!
Wow! We have it so easy in the U.K. compared to you. Well done to Steve for sorting out the pond. I bet the brownies will be delicious. The girls and goats are looking good. Happy Valentines Day.
my girls too are fine I was a bit worried but when I went out this morning to open them up I could hear them. They are going to get some bread scraps today and extra corn. I oiled all their combs yesterday so no frost bite.
We’re at a toasty 6 degrees. :D Unfortunately, I have to go out today. *sigh* Your two goat boys look like little fuzz balls. I bet they could warm yours hands up quite nicely while doing chores. :)
Steve gets too brownies for this frigid work to get the Beast alive and well!
two, it’s cold in my basement here in New Hampshire!
I noticed the temperature on the webcam at 8 am this morning (the time on the cam said 3 am) I did feel sorry for you. Hopefully you are warm indoors. What does your heating run on?
We have very efficient radiant heat, fueled by gas.
Such dedication to the animals. I love that in a person. I am sure Phoebe is enjoying the cold and is in her element. I caught a glimpse of her today enjoying some food. Stay warm and Happy Valentine’s Day. My dogs and I are enjoying a quiet afternoon by the fire watching a Jesse Stone movie.
We made a fire for the dogs, too.
Phoebe looks as if she is draped in chinchilla fur. Like a Vanderbuilt dowager. And bless that Steve for rescuing the pump and the Beast. Can you imagine having to live in water over a winter? Brrrrr. I keep a heated birdbath near my feeders as a water source, and I trek out to clean and fill it daily. To my amazement yesterday morning, with a temperature of exactly zero degrees and killer wind, the birds were actually taking full baths in the cold –unfrozen but certainly not warm– water. What the heck…
Below 0 again this am and Phoebe was happily eating her pellets when I opened up her pop door. She has no problem at all with this weather. The goats are cheerful, the hens are laying. We humans are wimps! :)
Glad all animals & Humans are keeping well and warm. Gosh it is cold there!! Always amazes me that you seem to have such extremes, weatherwise, i.e. cold with lots of snow and then really hot in the summer. Take care and keep warm – the animals all look great by the way. Kind regards,
Keep very safe and warm. Steve deserves his brownies after that effort…:)
Also we have finally had 3 dry days, 2 of which were sunny. The girls were so happy they spend all day on the lawn in the sun scratching around and even sun bathing !!