The struggles of farm life in the winter!

What a fun few weeks we've had here. I can't believe it's already the middle of January. I hate the winter. I hate the cold, and yet somehow I managed to find a way to have to be out in it all winter long! Feeding, visiting, cleaning, and playing with these animals in this cold, snowy weather! It's all okay though. I keep myself bundled up and it's so much fun being greeted by all our girls each day! I've been bringing them extra treats and goodies to keep them a little happier while stuck inside so much! I did buy heated water buckets from Tractor Supply to keep the water warm. Although I've already had to return one for freezing over and the new one is doing the same thing! The first one I've bought hasn't froze in even -25 temps!

Every morning as I get my daughter ready for school the sun comes up. I get her on the bus and walk over to the barn. I let the goats out so that I can feed the turkeys without the goats getting into the feed. After they are done, I open the chicken coop up and the girls line up for their morning walk from the coop, to the barn. I'm really happy we have the barn for them so they aren't all stuck in the coop all winter. They still walk back to it to lay their eggs, but walk right back into the barn for more room and scratching! Here's one of the videos I have made of the girls!

Last week It warmed up enough that I cleaned out the barn and the coop. I have been using the deep litter method and so it was dirty under all the fresh hay and pine that I've been laying down. It took me 4 hours, but everything was looking so much better. By the next morning all the snow was melting and the girls got to enjoy a day outside which was much needed on our little homestead!

By the next morning, the snow was back as if it had never left us, and the girls were not so happy to see all the white stuff in the morning! 

So I woke up and got to shovel a new path to the barn for the girls! Here is another video of their line up to the barn while it was snowing! 

Anyway, I hope you're all staying warm! I have been doing more research on ducks to figure out what breed we will be bringing home this spring! Wish us luck and if you're in a cold climate like Michigan, let me know what you're favorite cold hardy breed is! 

Thanks for reading! ~The Vela Homestead