It's the little things, really.....that make me so happy.

 

Like new waterproof boots, with no holes!

Especially when I'm in ankle deep mud-manure-mush.  The warmer weather has been nice because my hens have been able to go outside and get some fresh air and peck around a bit.  Chickens certainly do not like to walk around in the snow.  If the ground is covered in snow, I don't even bother to open their door.  But, the warmer weather has turned everything to mud in the pastures. 

Very Messy.

 

 

 



This morning we split up the cattle.

 

It was very windy at 7:45 this morning and so I anticipated a miserable experience coming along, but the wind died down and it really wasn't too bad.  Of the 17 steers, 5 of them are much older and therefore, bigger.  Dan thought we should seperate them from the other12 so we could start giving them a scoop of grain everyday.  He thinks they will be finished and ready for someone's freezer 5-6 months from now.

 

Things went really well.  With Abby & Dan cutting the steers away from the rest of the herd, and me working the gate, things went quickly.  The five are now set up in pasture #1 where the red lean-to is.  They have their own water & hay bale out in that paddock.  The bummer is that waterer doesn't have a heater/melter in it so at least twice a day, I'll be out there breaking up the ice on it for them.  Also, I'll be draining about 200 ft of hose after I fill their water every day, so that the water won't freeze the hose solid.

 

The 12 will be happier now and be able to get to their hay easier.  The 5 bullies would push them away from it quite often, even though it seemed there was plenty of space for everyone.  Steers don't "share" very well.