The weather has turned and it is now time to think of readying our many animals for the cold and dark winter.
Here are some of the things we do.
1.Get coats. Many young animals would benefit from a coat. I’ve seen calf coats for sale at the back of the farming papers. I got the goats a little coat each. They are actually dog coats but they do the job perfectly.
2.Adequate beds and bedding. The outdoor dogs get extra hay and straw in their kennels. All the animals get more bedding. It just makes everyone more comfortable.
3.Food. If bad weather is forecast, we make sure we have enough food delivered. We have hay in the shed but hens, goats and the sheep in particularly bad weather need additional feed like pellets, sheep nuts and oats to keep their tummies warm and full.
4.Likewise, if the weather will be bad, and for the closed period over Christmas and New Year, we make sure we have enough medication stocked up-penicillin, that kind of thing for emergencies.
5.We make sure all the water pipes are running and not frozen. Animals that have troughs and buckets that we have to fill are changed several times a day to ensure they all have fresh drinking water at all times.
In terms of work, Winter can seem quiet but reading this back it seems anything but.
Let’s hope for a mild, dry winter.
Eek it really does sound like a lot of work. But it’s great to read about how well you look after the animals, I’m sure not all animals are so lucky. I love the goat coats!
Nat.x
Aaw the goats in their coats are too cute! I just want to bring Ben the horse home in this weather and snuggle him on the couch! It’s hard work in the winter but they do appreciate it xx
Oh I am really loving the coats – they look so cute in them. Practical too I guess.
Ah, goats in coats are the best. Hope they all had a nice winter. 🙂
Hi Emma, not being a farmer it wouldn’t occur to me that you would have to prepare animals for the winter. I do like the coats on the goats, I bet they feel very swish swoo. Extra food for any animal outside in the cold is a must… Our dogs don’t know ow lucky they are!
#AnimalTales
xx
it sounds like a lot of work to me, we used to have just 1 chicken and it has reminded me how much prep we had to do
Breaking ice is my winter bugbear and I end up doing it so often and yet I still forget that is I smash it with my foot there is a good chance I’ll get a wet let when it breaks! Mind you, being half Husky, Saari loves the cold weather and with her thick fur has no need for a coat … and would probably not let me put on eon her! Many thanks for linking up to #AnimalTales and I hope the winter doesn’t create too much extra work for you.