This is way too cold for Texas..and this is mid-morning after the temperature has gone up a few degrees. I went out this morning to feed and break up ice for the critters and had a pot full of hot oatmeal for the chickens and my camera in hand. Okay, I forgot my hammer to break up the ice. When all else fails, you use your trusty booted foot to break it up. I got the chicken's water broken and they were so cute..they had their fuzzy butts showing and one was even standing on the ice.
I've got Rooster Cogburn confined to a cage because he's always bothering Big Hilda. I don't
know why but he picks on her and then the other girls start being mean to her and she gets isolated and won't come out of the chicken house or is off by herself to avoid Rooster. So, since Big Hilda is a favorite (yes, we play favorites), Rooster gets penned up. Maybe that's why we're getting so many eggs every day in the bitter cold. But I caught of picture of Big Hilda parading in front of the rooster as if to say "Na, na-na, na, na--na!"
Now, I need to go break up the ice in the horses' water trough...with oatmeal pot and camera in hand, I need to do this and not get my camera wet...hmmm, no hammer. Okay...I'll use my foot again. It works..but only a small hole. Mind you, this is a good size water trough. I really need to get my foot up and over and slam it in... yep, I did just that and ended up practically falling in! Wow! Ice shock! That's cold!
I've got on two thick layers of clothes and my boot is sloshing full of ice water. This is NOT the correct way to break up ice.
I can only imagine what these animals are thinking.....
Bridget seems to think it's funny...
and Cinch turns around to say "you stupid klutz!"
Happy Trails...
Great pictures, Thanks for sharing. Forgive me but, I LOL at the vision of you almost falling into the trough. I have used the same method to break up ice in the ducks swimming pool and water bowls. Glad your okay.
ReplyDeleteMy chickens water has been frozen solid. I've had to get the ice out and refill with new water. I have these big rectangle hunks of ice laying all over the place. Most are from the same dish! Poor creatures.
ReplyDelete~Randy
Your morning sounds exactly like mine, but I remembered to take the hammer....I've had a wet foot more times than I can count, so I make sure to have a trusty hammer to break that ice with! Bridget cracks me up laughing at you, and I adore your chickens....I want chickens.....
ReplyDeletehttp://horsefilleddays.blogspot.com/
Berte, you're so funny. I'll bet that was shocking in the cold weather.Give new meaning to the saying, "shake a leg." Must have been nice to get warm again.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry. In July in Texas, you'll forget all about the cold.
Debbie
Oh Berte I needed a good laugh today and if you didn't want us to laugh about it you wouldn't have put it out there for all of us to see!!!!!!!! I am truely sorry though because I can only imagine how cold you were!
ReplyDeleteMy water buckets are so far beyond being able to break up the top layer. I have to bring them in the house to warm enough to melt to dump it out, for the chickens and the outdoor chickens and guineas...so that's 2 pails to carry up the frozen icy hill and then carry back filled up. The goats on one side of the place get a fresh bucket of warm water and they drink it up and then I bring the bucket back to the house. My doe gets a bucket of warm water and she drinks most of hers so I just pour in warm water on the top of the ice and she drinks it up. They seem to be drinking so much more water now than in the summer months. Dh takes care of hauling feed and water to the baby goat pen cause I can't even stand up on that side of the place!!!!!!!
5 degrees today....I hate it!!!!!!!!!!
Take care,
Becky
THANKS for the great post that has provided a much needed grin at the end of my long day!! Oh, not only is your thermometer the same one I have, it even reads the same temperature as mine here in VA! Stay warm!!!
ReplyDeleteHey Berte! I'm so excited to see your chickens. They have a nice big place to run around. Love their names, too. That is the funniest picture of Bridget and you were at the right place with the right camera to get that hilarious picture!
ReplyDeleteI looked at a heated chicken waterer and they're $40.00 online at one of the chicken hatcheries. Well I went to Atwoods, and found a heated dogbowl and put it out for my littlel hen, and it's working out just fine! They had a great big one and a smaller one. I just got the smaller one for my one chicken. And it was only $8. The big one was $12. Do you need one for your chickens? Might be a little small for your horses.
Hot oatmeal, huh? I bet my chicken would like some of that, too. That'd sure warm her up.
Love that picture of your foot you stuck in the water! Sounds like something I would do!
BURRRRR, LOL BURRRRRRRR, LOL!!!!!! Sounds like something I would do!! It has been cold here too.....I would like to slap Al Gore!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHot oatmeal..does that change the taste of the eggs? You have some beautiful animals here!1 Thanks for the comment on my blog! Klutz..I can so identify with that feeling! Hope you warm up soon..:)
ReplyDeleteI am now following you!! I think maybe I better keep an eye on you! :)
ReplyDeleteLove seeing that part of the country. Are you in West Texas? I am originally from California but I own property up in the mountains of New Mexico. I so want to move back west. Thanks for posting those great pictures.Thanks for following my blog. I am right there with you on your quest to be frugal this year.
ReplyDeleteYOu know it's bad when the horses are laughing at ya! lol!
ReplyDeleteCinch seems to be saying, you humans can't break ice with your tiny weak feet. Ya needs a hoofie to break the ice!
Roosters in time out!? lol! I love it! I have favorites, too. I used to feel guilty about it, but now I don't. hehe!
I tried to put Annie back in the coop today and all the other chickens went after her. I wonder if when Annie gets all better and her feathers finally grow back if she'll be accepted? Poor girl :(
~Lisa