January storm...

The first big snow storm of the season is upon us. They are predicting 18" of snow will fall, starting tonight and coming down all day tomorrow.  Getting ready for a storm is a little different when you have livestock. Today we went to the feed store and stocked up on rabbit pellets, chicken food, goat food and shavings. We went to a different store and filled the back of the truck with hay bales. We stopped at a friends house and grabbed a few bales of straw. She had a truck load delivered and I reserved some, because it makes for warmer bedding than shavings. I was waiting for really cold weather, and it's here.

Earlier in the week I cleaned out both chicken coops and the rabbit hutch, then today we stripped all the soiled bedding out of the goat cozy and donkey dorm.  We put down fresh shavings, and I piled half a bale of straw in the corner of the goat room where they like to snuggle up. I filled the hay racks, and we scrubbed the heated water tub and filled it to the brim. We also filled three 5 gallon containers with fresh water for the animals in case we lose power.

Most people rush to the store and buy bread and milk before a storm. We buy animal feed and spend hours making sure they will be safe and secure in no matter the weather.

It's been cold for a week, low single digits. The goats have been shivery in the morning, and that makes me sad. I have had goat coats in the past, and decided I needed to order more. A search on line lead me to a woman who makes custom coats, and they sounded very nice. There were 30 colors to choose from, and I thought my goats would look best in a fabric called "tapestry." There was only a tiny postage stamp picture, with a wish and a prayer, I chose that and hoped it would be pretty.

 I carefully measured my goats, from the base of their neck to the base of their tail, and around the widest part of their belly. I took the measurements from Spirit, and ordered both coats the same size, because Bliss will soon be as big as her mama.  The coats were delivered Friday. I could hardly wait to open the box, and when I did I was delighted. The fabric is water repellent, the floral pattern quite lovely. The coats are lined with a nice quilted nylon, similar to what one might find in a human jacket. Wide Velcro lined bands fasten the coat snugly at the chest, and in two places under the belly. The coats even have nice little gussets over the hips to make them fit snugly. I also ordered a special underlayer of fleece. It is made like a wide tube to fit over the goats mid section, and then held in place with the over coat. When I slid my hand under the layers this afternoon, my girls were toasty. Tonight, in the storm, they will snuggle into their bed of straw and be cozy goats. The only down side to the wonderful new coats is that the donkeys are now terrified of the goats. The same goats they snuggle with, eat with, hang out with, now they won't get closer than 10 feet to them, because of those very, VERY scary coats.

Meanwhile, the donkeys have been feeling frisky. Their thick, wooly, hair keeps them snug. I asked my vet if they might need coats, and she assured me they were fine, as long as they had plenty of hay to eat in the cold weather.  Their digestive process helps keep them warm.

Sarah's hoof does not seem to bother her at all, and the two have been playing. When donkeys play they bite each other on the neck, run and buck, chase and twist, kick and rear. It's adorable to see, and helps me know that they are well and happy. 

After a recent Facebook picture of the donkeys brought a rash of comments about their weight, I have cut down their feed quite dramatically. They are not pleased with me, and make their complaints known, loudly, by braying at me to demand more grub. Notice Sarah sporting her stylish leather boot. Every three days I take it off, remove the soft bandage under it, and squirt medication up into her hoof. She stands like an angel for the process. I rebandage, fasten her boot back on, and give her a cookie.

The snow has begun to fall. Soon I will walk out with the dogs as they take their last evening stroll. I'll peek in on the animals, watch the snow come down, and listen to the special silence that is the hallmark a snow storm. Then I will rest well, knowing everyone is safe and secure, bedded down and well fed. Tomorrow there will be snow to move, pictures to take, and hours of rest, as the weather forces us to stop our normal routine and dance to the rhythm of the storm.