Finally Some Snow!

It has been a very mild winter, so I'm really excited we're finally getting some winter weather!  Snow storm "Jonas" (I think it's dumb winter storms are named) is here, so I spent the afternoon doing some finally prepping so I can relax and enjoy the snow.

I let the goats out of the barn for some play time while I worked outside today. They've been in the barn for a few days, and they'll be in there for at least the weekend, so I knew they'd enjoy running around.  They were very happy!

They ran and jumped and played and didn't seem at all bothered by their new coats.

I didn't intentionally buy goat coats, but I bought a dog coat for Elmer that was too big, and I figured I'd try it on the goat.  That's the orange coat. It fit perfectly, and the goats have done some shivering on these cold days.  It has been so mild they haven't really grown a good winter coat.  Since the orange one fit Ida so well, I went ahead and ordered the purple one for June.

They seem like they'll be great coats for the price (less than $20 each from Jeffers), but I did see Ida turn her head around and yank down the velcro strap closest to her head.  I guess I should have expected that from goats.

Here's a little video clip I took earlier, when the goats were playing.

The sheep love this weather, and don't seem phased at all by the snow.  

They just get extra straw in their shelter and lots of hay, along with their grain.

I don't put much straw at the entrance to their shelter, because they just drag it out. This shelter has held up SO well.  One side is wood, but the other is made of pallets over t-posts, with a cattle panel roof covered with a tarp.  We put this up quickly last year, because they needed more shelter space. It has held up beautifully, and I really love it.

The chickens got extra shavings in their coop, but other than that there's not a lot to do for the chickens.

The rabbits got fresh straw bedding.  The adults have their own nesting boxes they can snuggle in, and the babies (well, they're "tweens" now) all snuggle together. 

The hay is sort of exposed to wind and blowing snow, since the sides are all open.  I hung a tarp on each of the two exposed sides to help keep the snow out of the hay, and also to keep the wind from blowing all the hay around.  It's not totally enclosed, but it's better than it was, for sure.

The goats are warm and cozy in the barn, along with Kiki the barn cat.  She has a heat lamp and loves to sleep under it.  If it gets too cold, I can bring her inside (although she prefers being outside).

The dogs also got new coats, and they had a lot of fun playing outside today while I was working.

Their coats are the Ripstop Dog Blanket, from Jeffers.  Buford has the 22", and Elmer has the 24".  Oh, the goats have the 28".  

Now the dogs are passed out on the couch as I type this.  I need to go get my oil lamps and candles and put them on the kitchen counter.  I've filled lots of jugs with water, and will fill a tub too, in case we lose power.  We have a well, and will have no water, but I can still flush the toilet with water from the tub if needed.  I also went to the library and got a new audio book and several books in case I feel like reading this weekend.  I've got a lot to choose from....reading, watching movies, knitting, spinning, practicing on my ukelele.  Yes, I have a ukelele.  I got it for Christmas, but will write about that another day!

*crickets*

I haven't been blogging much lately...not a single post in over a month.  I am struggling with it.  Blogging used to be fun for me, but for the past while it has felt like a chore. I love looking back and reading my blog to see what we were up to (as a sort of diary), but I won't have anything to read if I don't start blogging again!  

Here are a few random pictures of what we've been doing these past weeks.

Kylee set up her easel and paint stuff on the deck (months ago, when it was warmer out).  

Chris came to visit and Elmer stared at him in adoration.

 Buford found a very comfy spot on top of all of the pillows.

Isaac (2nd cousin) came to spend the night and the kids took turns reading to him.  

 
Elmer went outside to potty and completely missed the deer nearby.

But then he saw it and the deer ran away.

 

 
The goats got some stumps in their pen.  Goats love stumps.

Elmer was playing outside and broke his dew claw.  I had to clip it off and wrap it because it was very tender.  He's fine now.  

I farm sat for a friend and the kids learned how to halter and lead a pony.

I'm not sure why I took a picture of the sheep and the wheelbarrow, but here it is. 

My Golden Laced Cochin rooster, below. 

We had a nice, 60 degree day, so the bunnies got turns running around in an exercise pen outside. 

Then I clipped their nails and brushed them, and ended up with all of the hair on me.

We went through a mud season.  It rained every day for 10 days.  After that, it rained some more.  Luckily it isn't muddy any longer.  I was getting so sick of it, and I know the animals were too.

I weaned a litter of 10 rabbits from a first time mother.  She did a fabulous job raising them.  

Elmer has some odd sleeping positions.














I ordered coats for the dogs.  Buford's fits him great, and he seems to like it.

Elmer's was WAY too big on him, but it fits Ida perfectly!  The poor goats haven't grown a decent winter coat, since winter has been relatively warm so far. These nights in the low teens are hard on them, so they're in the barn for a little while until the temps are a little warmer.

We're potentially getting snow this weekend!  If so, I'll post pictures.

Bunnies and Chickens

New Rabbit Cages

We've had rabbits for several years now, and I've recently been wondering if I want to keep raising them or not.  I figured out I wasn't feeling enthusiastic about them because they were sort of a hassle.  It's not like it was hard to care for them or anything, but it wasn't efficient. Their cages were a hassle.  One was a wooden hutch. I don't care for wooden cages...the wood rots eventually. It also catches urine and manure, and really is just extremely difficult to keep clean.  One metal cage was a Tractor Supply special, and not big enough for a doe and a litter.  The other metal cage was homemade, because I was being cheap thrifty and thought I could make one cheaper than I could buy one.  Well, the wire was too cheap and bendy and the cage is wonky.  

So, feeding and watering them wasn't going as smoothly as it could, and we were wasting time every day with that chore.  Finally I broke down and ordered professionally built cages from KW Cages.   I decided to get two 2-hole metal hanging cages. That means it's one long cage with 2 "holes" (or sides).  So, once the cages are hanging, I'll have 2 levels of 2 cages, for a total of 4 holes.  

The cages came in the day we left for vacation, so I had to wait a week to finally get to put one together. I worked on it tonight, and it was super easy to do alone.  

The cages came in a flat box, and needed to be assembled.  I bought a nice pair of j-clip pliers to use to assemble the cages. The j-clips are what you use to clamp around the parts of the cage to keep it together.   

I used the ladder as a work bench, since it happened to be right there on the porch.  The cage came in a few different pieces.  There was the left side, the right side, and the 2 top panels separately.  

Once I got the sides to each half connected, I connected the two halves.  

Then I put the tops on the cage sides.

And voila!  It's finished, and very big and very sturdy!   I also got little index card holders for each cage. We'll use them to record the names of each rabbit, plus things like how much food they get, and if they're bred, etc.  It's hard for the kids to remember when the feeding amounts change.  

Kiki kept me company while I worked.

And she licked my toes.  Weirdo.  Maybe she liked my festive rainbow nail polish.  :-)