Coffee's Ready, Come and Sit on the Porch

[flowerbug]

@flowerbug .... you have no livestock.
...

oh certainly! i know things can be different for everyone.

my livestock is worms and they are happy and easy to deal with as long as they don't freeze or dry out.

 

[flowerbug]

personal care aware and low budget camper here too. i've done some showers with a gallon of water. the other day i washed some dishes with a quart (which reminds me i need to get some dishes done right now... )...

we have gone without power here in the depths of winter a week or longer at times, but these days it is more like a day or two at the most. we've never gotten a generator and i'm not planning for that. i do have a small battery backup for the computer and that can stand in for some lights or even running the refridgerator for a short time period if needed.

if i invest in anything power related it will be a larger battery backup and then solar water heating as that is the most cost effective thing to do for as little $. prices and materials and new technologies can change so perhaps i'm off on that now, but i will research it all again when the time is right. but so far when i've priced it out it's been a clear winner even if i can't use it during the really cold times of the year it still might be possible to set up a system where i can use it to pre-heat water from the well so the hot water heater doesn't have to work so hard plus on some days any extra heat from that can go towards heating the house. so you get multiple chances to benefit but it is added complexity and maintenance and for sure Mom doesn't want to deal with any of that so it won't be put in until i am the owner.

when designing and pricing a system like that you can add in some extra capacity for solar power and battery storage even if you don't have it to plug in right away. with heat pumps and hot water heat exchangers being more common i hope those prices will come down some. it's a matter of time for me. perhaps it never gets done here by the time i need it it might not be cost effective for me. so all a waiting and seeing game.

 

[CrealCritter]

Livestock water is my first consideration. Many filled tubs to last several days in these events. But just breaking ice can be a chore if a deep freeze for several days. I tote hot water to tubs, keep them drinking. Electric outages are troublesome for those reasons. On a person basis, I can deal ok.

Good now but sure it will be a long morning to be sure water is available to them with the cold teens out there. I'll be breaking ice. Hauling hay & hot water. Not light out yet....prepping myself for what I know I must do. part of the livestock deal.

More later....once I've ventured out & back.

Yesterday when I fed the moo crew I noticed romeos' tail dragging over top the snow. I'm like what in the world. I couldn't get a good look at his tail because the sun was setting.

Today he was standing by the fence. I got a good look, he has frozen mud balls in the tip of his tail. I was relieved it wasn't broken or anything, just mud. It will warm up eventually and he will start shedding his coat soon, so it'll all be good.

Its just been a very wet winter... it happens some years. Not much I can do about it.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[Mini Horses]

Wet winters often linger into spring planting issues . Happened here last yr. 2025 isn't looking much better.

 

[flowerbug]

Yesterday when I fed the moo crew I noticed romeos' tail dragging over top the snow. I'm like what in the world. I couldn't get a good look at his tail because the sun was setting.

Today he was standing by the fence. I got a good look, he has frozen mud balls in the tip of his tail. I was relieved it wasn't broken or anything, just mud. It will warm up eventually and he will start shedding his coat soon, so it'll all be good.

Its just been a very wet winter... it happens some years. Not much I can do about it.

the ol' ball and chain...

not going to give him a warm water bucket dunk for the gunk?

 

[farmerjan]

We try to trim any of the "dragging the ground" tails when we do preg checks.. and have occasionally taken a scissors to some while eating at the bunks just to get the worst of the mud balls gone... usually don't have any that long. Certainly won't affect the fly swatting if you take off 4-6 inches off the very end. Just got to make sure you don't get the tail bone... just the hair. And the animals feel better with it gone too...

 

[Alaskan]

They make a cheap vacuum hand pump. No idea how well it works.

https://a.co/d/7DXiC26

That is the kind that most people up here use.

Works well.

 

[CrealCritter]

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[baymule]

I’m tired yall. It was sleeting when I left Wednesday. 175 miles and it sleeted all the way, and halfway back. I got home at 4:00 and it was so cold, highest I could get it in the coop with 4 heat lamps was 60 degrees. I dragged a big black livestock water tub in the house and rigged it up for the chicks.

Then I fed dogs, busted ice for sheep, hauled them hot water, fed, hay and had time to scarf down a sandwich before rushing off to church.
Yesterday morning a ewe had twins, I moved her and lambs to another pen so I can give her extra feed. Bust ice, haul boiling water, feed, carry hay to several pens. After that, I just didn’t have much ambition. Then 3:00, fed dogs, bust ice, haul water, fed sheep, carried hay. In after 5.

This morning, fed house chickens, warm water. Then outside to bust ice, haul hot water, feed and hay.

A friend is giving me 45ish Cornish cross pullets, 3 weeks old. I rigged up a small coop for them, 2 heat lamps, covered coop with a tarp. Only 32F tonight but that’s still cold for 3 week old chicks. Gotta go, time to go pick them up.

 

[CrealCritter]

I’m tired yall. It was sleeting when I left Wednesday. 175 miles and it sleeted all the way, and halfway back. I got home at 4:00 and it was so cold, highest I could get it in the coop with 4 heat lamps was 60 degrees. I dragged a big black livestock water tub in the house and rigged it up for the chicks.

View attachment 29198



Then I fed dogs, busted ice for sheep, hauled them hot water, fed, hay and had time to scarf down a sandwich before rushing off to church.
Yesterday morning a ewe had twins, I moved her and lambs to another pen so I can give her extra feed. Bust ice, haul boiling water, feed, carry hay to several pens. After that, I just didn’t have much ambition. Then 3:00, fed dogs, bust ice, haul water, fed sheep, carried hay. In after 5.

This morning, fed house chickens, warm water. Then outside to bust ice, haul hot water, feed and hay.

A friend is giving me 45ish Cornish cross pullets, 3 weeks old. I rigged up a small coop for them, 2 heat lamps, covered coop with a tarp. Only 32F tonight but that’s still cold for 3 week old chicks. Gotta go, time to go pick them up.

Maybe it's just me... but I see a chicken plucker machine in your very near future.

Farm on

Jesus is Lord and Christ