Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch: Part XXXIV

We've had a long cold spell over the  past several weeks, the Christmas Eve snow we got was still not melted until just a few days ago...winter has been cold and dry so far...

Getting water to the animals is a real hassle when it doesn't get above freezing for weeks at time...while the outdoor water spigots are sunk down into the ground below the frost line at about 8-10 feet, with a valve that keeps the water from coming up into the spigot and freezing, it doesn't keep the hoses from freezing...

so when it's so cold for so long, we have to bring the hose into the house and let it thaw out in the bathtub,then take it out, hook it up, water everyone, then bring the hose back inside to keep it from freezing again...and no, it doesn't make a mess in the house at all, or make a relatively quick & simple job long and complex! (heavy sarcasm lol!)

It finally warmed up last week, and we've all been enjoying it! It's so easy to water everyone, just turn on the hose and voila, water!








Even the water tanks in the pasture that have been frozen for months are starting to thaw out...and it seems it's more fun to drink out of the half frozen pasture tank than the corral tank that we take such pains to keep unfrozen lol!

And when it's so warm outside, it's very fun to go play in the last of the snowdrifts!

Even though chickens don't really get cold (they're all wearing down jackets, after all!) the short, cold days still affect them...My barn hens were only laying a few eggs a week, so we installed a full-spectrum light over their laying boxes in hopes it will stimulate them to lay more eggs...

and I cleaned out the laying boxes and gave them all fresh straw...












which is always an exciting occasion in chicken-ville, all the hens get very excited and come and scratch the straw out of the boxes almost immediately lol!

Rooster Cogburn feigns manly indifferent to the fresh straw excitement and struts around and poses so the hens can admire what a fine figure of a rooster he is!

and in goat news...well, the goats always have some drama going on! I went down to feed the other day, and somehow Andy had not only gotten a bunch of baling twine wrapped around his neck...

he also got it wrapped around the hay feeder as well, so he was all tied up poor guy! I cut him loose and all is well in goat-land...looking like baby goats will be showing up sometime in the next month...hope they don't wait until the absolute coldest night of the year to kid...like they usually do lol!

and in people news, here is Giant showing off his pearly whites, but the real news is...









FarmGiantDaughters freshly unbraced pearly whites! Close to 2 years, and so many $'s I don't even want to think about it lol, but it's all worth it for the gorgeous grin! Hope you all are staying warm in your neck of the woods, and happytrails!