The pumpkins for the sheep are just frozen too hard for me to chop in this cold. Took Sissy’s advise and fed the sheep frozen apples to the girls tonight instead. The apples are frozen solid, too, but are small enough to be workable. The girls seemed to enjoy the change. Pita was working on chewing a apple right in front of me.
23 degrees (F) in the barn, 5 degrees (F) outside. Ice was 2″ thick on the water tubs + building up on the inside of the tubs. Chicken jug was frozen solid. The hens actually put off going to roost for me to give them some liquid water. They were that thirsty. The kittens were making pests of themselves wanting a drink. Put new bulbs in the warming lamps in hopes they will keep the water from freezing solid. Wearing 2 pairs of socks and insulated muck boots, but my toes were getting mighty cold before I was done with chores.
I really need to break the kittens from climbing and kneading my legs, arms, back, etc.. Right now it is an inconvenience. Come springtime when I’m not layered in extra pants, three shirts, snow pants, insulated coat, ear flap hat, and insulated gloves this will be painful.
Took me almost an hour to chop up one pumpkin for the sheep tonight. It was frozen solid. And that was after letting it sit under a heat lamp for almost an hour. And then the pieces were still so hard-frozen the sheep had a real struggle to chew them. Only the most avid pumpkin lover, like Martha (above), persisted. Apparently pumpkincicles are not worth the amount of work it takes to eat them. The rest decided to just eat their hay sans treats. That’s when you KNOW it’s cold.
It was 27 degrees (F) in the barn tonight. Which was awesome, considering the fact it was 6 degrees (F) outside. And today is forecasted to be the warmest day for the upcoming week. The water tubs are crusted with a thin layer of ice. The chickens’ waterer is frozen solid. Last night the water hose into the barn froze on me. Had to drag it up to the house and thaw it in the bath tub. Chopping ice before I can dump out the tubs to refill them. Breaking up the ice in the chicken jug to be able to dump the old water and refill it. Days like this make me really miss the barn on our old farm that had hot and cold RUNNING water in the milk house. Sigh. The animals are fine. This farmer is freezing her butt off!
It did not snow today. But the sheep came in from pasture with their wool full of snow, just from the wind blowing around what was already on the ground.
Did I ever think I would see Tiggy, my grumpy old man, snuggling with the kittens.
The girls don’t like it when the ground is crunchy!
Farmer Keen 