Back into the freeze. Sick banty. Horses on meds.

The temperature has dropped again, after a few lovely mild days.  I was even able to fill my sled with warm water and let the ducks take a bath.  That was some kind of happy duck party! It was a much needed sight for me--when my animals are happy I am happy!

Last night I let the horses stay out late--normally Winny is content to stay in his stall after grain time (~5pm ish) but it seems he and Oakley are getting along pretty well these days, and as long as Oakley isn't hungry they will  just stand near each other and rest.  Last night was so bright--almost the full moon.  I put on G's down parka that goes down to my knees and headed out into the glowing snow to do night check....The two of them were resting, but alert the way they always are on moonlight nights.  I checked on the sleepy sheep, and went out to the chook palace to check the temperature in there.  It was -3C so I turned up the radiator a bit--the temperature was supposed to be -17C overnight, and feel more like -24C, so I didn't want it to continue to dive...My face was aching and painful by the time I got back inside.  Don't really need a weather radio anymore to tell me what's going on--our fingers and faces tell us when the humidity is high, and we need to pay extra attention to how we are working out there, and keep the chooks and ducks safe from frostbite. 

 

One of Mr. Soapy's ladies has been looking bad for a few weeks.  She's not really tame, always been a bit freaky, so I don't know her too well.  It's also hard for me to tell sometimes if one of them looks sullen and depressed because they are a bit cold, or if they are actually sick.  On the weekend I caught her (had to restrain Soapy first so I didn't get angry-rooster with 3 inch dagger spurs- flying at my head) and the only thing I could find wrong with her was that she was very dehydrated.



The little one in the middle..Still don't have a name for her!

I had fluids left over from Tulip, so with G's help I gave her some SQ, and hoped she'd pick up.  She hasn't.  So today I brought her in the house and resigned myself to one more sicky in care.  She's only 387g, doesn't take up much space, so it's really not too much work.  I got 12cc oral fluids into her, and put her on her blanket with the heated seed mat underneath.  Within an hour she brightened up enough to eat and defecate, and try to peck me when I reached in to check her crop.  I will try to repeat fluids 4 times today.  It will take her several days with that regimen to be properly hydrated again, especially if she doesn't drink on her own.  She has electrolytes with vitamins in with her, so hopefully she'll figure it out. 

 

Winston has mildly elevated liver enzymes, so will go on some antibiotics when I pick them up today.  Worried about him....

 

Glenn arrived safely in Santiago early this morning, and we skyped for a while.  Really helped to start my day off right.  : )  Until I went out to do morning duties and discovered that Mama Ewe was holding her right hind leg up....She started using it a little bit later, so I will keep and eye on her, and if she's limping or favouring again later I will have to catch her. 

 

Have to leave to do some errands, and when I get back I will spend a few hours out in the barn cleaning and feeding and socializing with the beasts.  Loving my new barn stereo!!

 

I'm taking Friday off of TRC, for some me time.  Hopefully I won't spend it shovelling the drive to the gate that leads to the barn.  We are going up to Pine City on Saturday to pick up a small load of hay, and it would be nice to be able to just drive up to the barn with it.  Otherwise, I will make 12 trips with my sled from the driveway by the house.  Wouldn't really kill me to do that, I need to get in shape for my Grand Marais trip, which will involve hiking and snowshoeing with heavy gear. 

 

I guess that's it for now.  Only 2.5 hours of daylight left.  Then full moon to work by!