Livestock

A couple of years ago I challenged myself to take at least one picture every day. At the end of the year, I had a large amount of pictures and was able to make a photo book with an accurate timeline of what we did that year.  I have no such challenge for my self anymore and apparently don't take pictures.  Today before blogging I checked my phone for new pictures of my kids to share and there were none.  I haven't taken a picture of my kids in a little over a week.  So, today you get pictures of our animals!

The pigs work to keep warm in the cold barn by cuddling.  It is pretty cute.  They move apart to run around when someone comes into the barn and a puff of steam goes up from where they were laying.  No up close pictures of them because I wanted to take one before I got too close and they startled. There are seventeen pigs in that pile!

My chickens are finally starting to earn their keep.  We started getting eggs around Christmas time.    We check twice a day because we go to the barn twice to feed calves.  Hopefully that will prevent too many frozen eggs. So far we are up to about five a day, right on the edge of me not having to buy eggs.  I purchased eggs last weekend and I think we only used six or seven of them.  Between breakfasts and baking, we use a steady supply of eggs.

The chickens are also working to stay warm this winter.  We came in several times to this sight.

There are ten birds crammed into that, north facing, window.  The pallet has been removed from that wall and we installed nesting boxes on the opposite wall.  They seem to lay eggs there but still group together on the floor.

Our livestock is rounded out with a few bovines.  There are only three at the barn right now, a big bull calf and two cute little heifers.  The heifers are the ones that still need milk twice a day. They have been named Spot and Patches.  It is probably a good idea to check the barn in the morning and at night while it is below zero anyway.

Now I'm off to take more pictures of my kids!