The Cold Snap

Frost on the porch window.

Nova Scotia has been suffering a cold snap this week. There is nothing like caring for large animals to fully appreciate temperatures dipping below -20. With the wind chill, there were several nights this week where the mercury dropped to -28.

Our horse and cow have a three-sided shelter and thick winter coats to protect them from the cold. Joe also wears a light waterproof blanket which blocks wind as well. We have a good foot of hay an straw on the floor of the run-in and I've seen Dalhia nestled in there chewing her cud several mornings and evenings this week.
The biggest challenge has been keeping the water ice-free. Thursday morning Rob had to use the ax to cut a hole in the big 100 gallon water tank. We were lucky and filled it last weekend when the temperature was 10+. Unfortunately the plug got knocked loose and overnight all the water drained out. By that point the temperatures had begun to drop and we had to fill it using buckets because the hose and tap were again frozen.

The chickens have a heated waterer and heat lamp in the coop. Overall they have been coping with the cold weather, although a couple of eggs froze this week before we brought them into the house. The hens haven't been foraging much, so several times I've taken them vegetable peelings which they seem to appreciate.

In the house, the hot water tap froze in the kitchen and we finally broke down and turned the electric heaters on. Even though the fire was roaring in the wood stove, the heat seemed as though it was beaten back by the cold seeping in and only the immediate radius around the stove had any warmth.
The wind has finally dropped and today is a balmy -10. I can live with that, but I'm looking forward to a warming trend promised for next week.