Cold ?

Phil V. · #1 01/07/15, 05:47 PM

How is everyone surviving the cold so far? Going to be -10 here tonight. Everybody is bedded down good and have plenty of water on hand.

Backfourty,MI. · #2 01/07/15, 05:53 PM

Hanging in there up here in Michigan too! Lots of extra hay, bedding & electric water buckets.
Hopefully this brutal cold won't hang on all winter like last year.

billinwv · #3 01/07/15, 05:53 PM

Not quite that cold here. I did add extra straw to the goat run in and put a plywood wind block up for additional protection(3 sided building). I had kids come this time last year. Thankfully no one due here till end of March. The wind is wicked.

mzgarden · #4 01/07/15, 06:07 PM

-3 with windchill down to minus teens tonight. Our 2 girls are snuggled in their XL Igloo in the barn.

Forcast · #5 01/07/15, 06:29 PM

chickens didnt even come out the coop today, heated water fonts are GREAT!!!! 12 going down to 2. Better than last January the day we buried my mom it was -12 in Pa.

punchiepal · #6 01/07/15, 07:17 PM

buuurrrrrrrrrr
-8 here now. Wind chill is -24. They are saying to the -teens about 11pm-midnight. Thankfully, after midnight the temps are supposed to rise some to about -single digits by morning, high of about 14 tomorrow till the next one hits Friday.

Extra hay, alfalfa pellets, bedding, heated buckets, etc. Hoping this breaks soon. Really do not want a repeat of last year!

V-NH · #7 01/07/15, 07:17 PM

We're forecast for up to a -55 wind chill. The girls ate and went into their house. The boys refused to go inside and are sleeping right out in the open. Silly goats

SouthGAMan · #8 01/07/15, 07:20 PM

Healthwise I'd have major issues myself dealing with the cold temps yall are posting here. Supposed to get down to 22 degrees tonight (normally only get about a dozen or so days each year below freezing) with wind chill bringing it down to around 15 or so. Tomorrow I think the high is 39. Definitely different for south georgia but hopefully the animals and the family will make it through lol.

Karenrbw · #9 01/07/15, 08:27 PM

I didn't even open the chicken coop. They told the this morning in no uncertain terms that they would not be going out today. Made sure they had an extra layer of shavings and some treats to keep them occupied.

Horse and bottle calf got a little extra hay today and both can get into the barn to get out of the wind.

Drug out the dogs heated water bucket and turned their houses towards the house to keep out the worst of the wind.

2 degrees right now with forecast low of 0 tonight with wind chills around -15. I am really enjoying the new arctic coveralls I got for Christmas. Luckily, we are cold, but we don't really have any snow, so it could be a lot worse.

mrstillery09 · #10 01/07/15, 08:45 PM

Everyone seems to be doing alright, the high here today was 6 degrees with windchills at -20 to -30. We have two doelings that are about 10 months old who are struggling more than others. Today I just kept them in their house with a huge amount of hay. They must have enjoyed it because after their grain they went running back to it, whereas I usually have to drag them back there! The two bucks and big girls are floofy but doing well.

creeklady2000 · #11 01/08/15, 04:51 AM

very cold here as well -2 yesterday with a windchill of -19 I have two goats that could kid at any time so I am watching them very closely I did not want house babies but will have if they kid in this I bred most of my goats for march-may but wanted a few early ones for milk , my prob is they do not want to drink they say it is to cold ,, they are acting fine a few shivering they are bedded down with lot's of hay and minerals and salt and grain once a day they want to know when spring is here lol

Phil V. · #12 01/08/15, 06:47 AM

It was -8 at 5 am with windchill around -20. I know what you're talking about Creeklady; used to have sheep. Used to give the lambs a spoon full ofsugar with a few drops of whiskey to get them going.

Bret · #13 01/08/15, 07:56 AM

Tractor started second shot last night. Found the sweet spot for the throttle and choke and left it there. Moved a hay bail for the cows. Put the hair dryer on the cattle fountain overflow for a few minutes to open it up. Adjusted the tank heater thermostat. I don't know how birds and mammals stand it.

Phil V. · #14 01/08/15, 08:47 AM

Hey Bret; do you have a heater for your tractor? I have one that has a magnet built in that sticks to the block to help keep it warm. I have 2 of them in a small size for the riding mower and a large for the tractor. Picked them up at TSC. The water tanks were open this morning when I checked them doing chores. One is 150 gallon and the other is 50 gallon size. So far everybody is okay. The goats were not happy about going out for the grain but they did. Gave them hay in the barn to keep warm. Have a bucket with water in the barn as well as the heated water tank outside for them. They were given me dirty looks about it being so cold out this morning and had to laugh about the way they were acting.

Bret · #15 01/08/15, 09:42 AM

Phil,

I will look into the magnet heaters. Should I have a multi weight oil for winter for an AC D15II? I have seen what my oil looks like when it is cold--a fudgesicle.

Be safe.

MDKatie · #16 01/08/15, 09:45 AM

All my goats were shivering yesterday, so I caved and put them in the barn. They seem pretty happy with themselves. It has been super cold here the past few days, and they hadn't quite acclimated.

Edited to add: In all fairness, it was 60* here Sunday, and today the wind chill is below zero...so that's not much adjustment time!

marusempai · #17 01/08/15, 09:58 AM

I wore three pairs of wool socks and my feet were STILL cold by the time I had food and water to everybody. :P I even threw out more bedding, the goats seem fine (if unhappy about EVER leaving their shelter) but the ducks were shivering this morning. Very cold!

Frosted Mini's · #18 01/08/15, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marusempai

I wore three pairs of wool socks and my feet were STILL cold by the time I had food and water to everybody. :P I even threw out more bedding, the goats seem fine (if unhappy about EVER leaving their shelter) but the ducks were shivering this morning. Very cold!

Probably because you had no circulation to them with that many socks! LOL.

Phil V. · #19 01/08/15, 10:55 AM

Bret; I go with 10-20 oil or a straight 30 or 40 weight in winter and heavier weight in the summer. Marusampai have you looked into mickey mouse boots? They are army surplus boots and they keep my feet warm in sub-zero temps.. Bret; Forgot to mention that mom said to tell you hi and Happy New Year. She was asking about you and your brother the other day.

Awnry Abe · #20 01/08/15, 11:04 AM

Yesterday was an "inside day" for all of the goats and sheep. I let the dairy cows have the south side of the barn so their teats wouldn't freeze and snap off. For a few minutes, it was all chaos as the goats and cows jockeyed for position near the hay. It was obvious that I was going to end up with a dead goat, so I scrambled and moved all the little ruminants inside the barn. It was nice having that luxury. Last night I kicked the cows out to where they belong. The goats and sheep got the south side of the barn back. My timing was good. The wind shifted around from the south so the cows had a nice windbreak all night.