Chores When It’s Really Cold

The really cold (but not quite stupid cold) weather we are having right now adds another level of challenging to doing chores.   Part of that is because the animals went from pretty mild temperatures to really cold temperatures.  They have to have time to adjust, and they didn’t get that.  Even Odie is acting a bit cold.

Odie

I worry about Wanda with her fur not completely grown back.  The greenhouse is a bit warmer for her than the main barn.  (The hazy look is my breath steaming.)

Wanda and Aphrodite (and Athena’s body)

Caroline is her typical brat.  Not even the cold can change that.  You’ll notice Anubis on the shelf below her because Zeus is still kind of pushy.

Caroline (Anubis below and Zeus’s back)

I’m glad it did this over a weekend when I was home to check everyone more frequently.  I’m also giving them an extra feeding of hay.  This would be easier if we hadn’t had the ice that froze my door down.  At least I can open the top and throw my bale of hay out and then climb over.  It’s just another level of fun.  Although, I have gotten it chipped away so I can open it enough for me to sneak through now.

Moose

This extra feeding helps me check on everyone.  If someone is not getting up to eat or is just standing there shivering and not eating, they need to be moved.

Cupid and Cutie

That’s why Stormy got moved to the garage on Saturday.  She was lying in the barn shivering, refused to get up and wouldn’t eat when I put hay right in front of her.  She’s doing much better now.

Stormy

Sunday, Dolly joined them.  I have a couple more old ladies and the young kids that I’m keeping a close eye on.

Antigone and Dolly (Pistol across the front)

The front door to my garage is also frozen shut, so I have to carry hay through the milk/soap rooms, or I can climb the fence and go through the buck room.

Xerxes and Hilda (the door that will open between them)

Poor Xerxes still is the biggest chicken on the farm, but he’s also hoping I bring him lots of grain.

I’ve also been breaking the ice off my cattle tank.

Penny

The heater is working, but it is warm and the steam freezes, and it just keeps freezing until it’s completely iced over.

Luckily, the cold is supposed to break tomorrow, and I can put my old ladies back out of the garage.  Of course, with the warmer temperatures comes the threat of more rain, ice, and snow.

Barnyard Scenes

Just some extra pictures from this past weekend because the camera doesn’t like our current weather.

Gidget

Aurora

Harley

Sky (not in the barnyard)

Dolly and Pluto

Uno on Tony

I miss being able to have bird feeders. Dang dog.

Cookie with Chiffon and Marge

Myson

Joani and Fionn

It’s almost a Wordless Wednesday post.

Really Winter

We seem to have really settled into winter now.  The snow from last weekend is still here, and we’ve added a bit more since then.

Clover

Penny and Bonnie seem to have settled back into the herd pretty easily.  That’s good.

Bonnie, Penny, and Coral on this side of the ditch

Even though the goats were going out to pasture, they had to work hard to get to the grass.

just outside the barnyard

At least they were going out and wearing off some energy so they aren’t so cranky with each other.  That ended sometime early in the week.

Mary and Bubbles digging for spilt corn

That also means they are getting full hay.

Stormy

The llamas appreciate it too. It makes a lot more chores for me, but it keeps everyone fat and sassy.

Aurora, Maybeline (back) and Odie having leftovers for breakfast

And today, it’s another big winter storm.