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The freeze continuesRSS feed

Posted: Tuesday 5 January, 2010

by Rosemary at 7:48pm in Anything goes 1 comment Comments closed

It's still frozen here; we had a dusting of snow last night and it was -5 this morning, but with no wind, it didn't seem too cold. By the time I had finished at the stables, it was a positively balmy 0C. This afternoon, the wind has risen and it was bitterly cold. Some of the hens are developing quite a nice skating technique - too late for the Winter Olympics, regretably.

Although it desn't feel at all spring-like, our young cockerel's sap is rising. I heard him crow yesterday and try to "catch" one of the Back Rocks. I think Hector is turning a blind eye to it all; with 20 odd hens, there is more than enough for two.

As you will know from the national news, sand and salt has been in short supply but our local builders merchants got a load in today. There was a queue of cars waiting to pick up bags of the stuff. I have been told that the price has doubled, but since we haven't bought any for years, I have no idea if that is true. If it is though, local authorities will be feeling the pinch.

Our livery yard owner must be somewhat dismayed too. There are 40 horses on DIY livery - all of them would have been on daily turnout under normal weather conditions. This year, though, most of the horses are in for all but an hour a day, merrily eating their heads off. Our weekly livery charge includes hay or haylage - I bet if it was extra, a lot more horses would have been turned out by now.

Comments

Cath Livingstone

Tuesday 12 January, 2010 at 4:10pm

Our hens have been ice-skating too. Full marks for comedy but I don't think they're up to Torvil & Dean yet. Funniest is when they try to perch on the ice-covered henhouse roof and slide off squawking indignantly

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