This cold weather is misery for all of us on the farm. The goats are surviving, but they're keeping their tails tucked, and some of them have their hair standing on end - their version of goose bumps, I guess. They stay in their sheds most of the time, so we stocked them with hay bales. For some reason, Pansy's boys (the meat goats born this past spring, which should have been slaughtered already) are the ones who seem the coldest. They shiver a lot.
I'm afraid for Rosie goat. She's so skinny and frail looking. And I don't think she has much sense. Yesterday when I went out to check on them, she was standing outside of the shed against the wall. Just standing there alone and forlorn looking while all of the others were inside the shed, out of the wind, eating hay.
We brought the Nubians into the barn last night because it was supposed to be the lowest temp. yet.
All the water buckets are frozen solid and we have the water to the pastures turned off so that we won't have any broken pipes. We have to carry water to each pasture twice a day. Yesterday, Kip and Henry sucked down a gallon a piece as soon as I handed them the bucket.
It's 23 degrees right now and the high today is supposed to be 32.
I am so sick of winter.
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4 comments:
Wow that is cold. It is considerably warmer here in CA but I am still in my winter barn jacket sitting here at work. I can't imagine it being 20 degrees outside during the day.
Poor Rosie goat, I hope she makes it through alright. Especially because we share a namesake!
It is rarely this cold in TX and when it does get this cold it is usually only for a day or two. We have had several days of below freezing temps and more are expected. I don't know how those in colder climates deal with it for months on end.
To bad I don't live closer..I'd gladly do your outside chores..I love winter. I feel bad for the goats..especially Rosie. Do you think they ran her off? Will she cuddle with her mom?
Since her mom is head goat, I doubt that Rosie would have been kicked out. I don't know why she was standing outside, but she won't push and shove for the food like the other goats. She'll give up and go away, so sometimes I sneak and give her food away from the other goats. It's hard to do, though because if they see, they'll come running.
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