Is It Spring Yet?

It is still not even the official first day of winter, and I am so over it.  After last Saturday’s storm, things got a little better.  It was actually warm.  Then it was a high wind warning.  Then it was a clipper coming through leaving us with more snow.

Miss Goose and Buffy watching the snow fall

That was followed by the cold and another round of snow today.  And cold.  Bitter cold.

I am over it. With the day of warm weather melting the big snows we’ve already had being followed with cold caused lots of ice patches.  It is hard to walk out there.  Then the new snow on top meant I could no longer see the ice.  I’ve spent the last few days just trying to stay on my feet while I do everything.

where I slipped on the ice beneath the snow

I have done some more prep for this round of cold.  I lowered the heat lamp with Gabe and Donkey.  I really do worry about Gabe because he’s not going to grow any new hair on his neck until the weather warms up.  I’m watching him closely.  If I have to, I’ll figure out how to get him over in the buck room.

Donkey and Gabe

At least my girls in the Morton building are okay.  Antigone is just chilling in the back part.

Antigone lounging in the corner

Wanda seems to be gaining some weight, which is good.  I’m also trying to figure out how I would arrange things to add another pen if I have to bring anyone else in with this brutal cold.

Dee, Ava, and Wanda

And in the middle of Thursday’s snow, I had to fight a opossum.  Not really, but really.  The little brat dug under the door of the Love Shack and managed to squeeze up because there was a tiny gap between the door and the foundation.  I can’t let it stay in there, so I moved the nest boxes and tried shooing it back out the door.  It was not cooperative.  It cowered, so I had to use the snow shovel to try to guide it.  About every ten seconds, I had to chase the hens away from the open door.  One hen actually escaped, so I had to go chase her down.  I finally caught her in a snow drift.  The whole time I was trying to catch her, Skittles was watching her with a side eye trying to decide if that little squawking interloper should be stomped to death.  Luckily, Skittles seemed to think I could handle it. After I put the hen back in, I went back to annoying and pushing the opossum to try to get it to leave.  Finally, it gave up and left.  Honestly, it would have been easier if the thing had just decided to play opossum.  Then I could have rolled it into my snow shovel and carried it over to the barn where I am fine with it staying.

the hens by the nest box

Anyhow, I got it out, and then I put another flat piece of plywood inside the door and held it in place with a cat litter bucket full of grit.  Hopefully, that keeps it out.  I also left the snow shovel propped against the outside of the door as a gentle reminder not to go back in there.

another layer of fun for chicken chores

Seriously, I am over this winter, and it hasn’t even started.

Sky in this morning’s snow

That’s the thing.  December has felt like February.  I think that’s why I am totally not even in the Christmas spirit.