Anyone who owns livestock or who farms at all will tell you that often times winter farm chores become a labor of love. I don't mind feeding animals and caring for the farm in the spring, summer, and fall. In fact, it is downright enjoyable during those seasons. However, subfreezing temperatures and snow make it a whole different story. When I awoke this morning it was a balmy 10 degrees outside.
We have 1 horse, 12 chickens, 4 cats, 2 rabbits, 3 dogs, 13 homing pigeons and...well a partridge in a pear tree...okay no partridge, but the rest is true.
This is what it looked like out the front window so I knew we were in for it this morning.
This type of weather means that everything freezes up solid, the water faucets, hoses, etc. It also necesitates frequent checking on livestock to ensure that they have sufficient bedding, water and food. Not to mention the feed bill goes up significantly because the animals eat so much to stay warm. We have homing pigeons that my husband uses in training hunting dogs. They are really fascinating to watch as they fly wide circles around the house, barn and property but always return back to their coop. My daughter let them out and each time they landed on the barn roof it let a spray of fresh powdery snow loose.
We have 1 horse, 12 chickens, 4 cats, 2 rabbits, 3 dogs, 13 homing pigeons and...well a partridge in a pear tree...okay no partridge, but the rest is true.
This is what it looked like out the front window so I knew we were in for it this morning.
This type of weather means that everything freezes up solid, the water faucets, hoses, etc. It also necesitates frequent checking on livestock to ensure that they have sufficient bedding, water and food. Not to mention the feed bill goes up significantly because the animals eat so much to stay warm. We have homing pigeons that my husband uses in training hunting dogs. They are really fascinating to watch as they fly wide circles around the house, barn and property but always return back to their coop. My daughter let them out and each time they landed on the barn roof it let a spray of fresh powdery snow loose.
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Our hens are normally free range gals but they are very particular about the winter. They will go outside and forage so long as there is no snow to step on. It is really quite comical because if there are thawed patches they will skip and hop on those and not step on the snow. However, because they won't set foot in the snow it is really rather pointless to open the door to the coop on days like today because all it does is allow a cold wind to blow through the coop. The other problem we run into with our hens in the winter is that if they should decide to be lazy and lay an egg in the hay mound as opposed to the laying boxes it will freeze and crack open before we find out about it. The girls do like to eat snow though...they will peck it off my boots and pants when I go into the coop.
The horse was wild this morning. Our diningroom window looks out over our back field and we all had fun watching her antics as she bucked and ran around the field. She has been eating a large amount of hay as it has been so cold. I love when she gets her winter coat as she looks so furry and gets whiskers all along her muzzle.
So the tally for this morning was one semi frozen mama, 8 eggs, split firewood (courtesy of hubby) 6 hammered to crack frozen water containers, 8 flakes of hay, and some flying birds. Only 3 months till spring!
Then there's this to leave you with...
