[andywalt]

Hi

Here are my girls, can someone give me some advice about freshwater? our pipes have frozen, is it essentual that I take freshwater everyday when I fill up there hay and give there little amount of concentrate? do they get any water out of the snow? maybe a silly question?

[Fleecewife]

Best to give them fresh water.  The snow we have at the moment is very dry and fluffy so not much water content. 

[Anke]

Mine do not get any freshwater, the temperature has not been above 0 for a few days now (-13 atm), so they have to do with snow... they are fine. If you only have one field and it is nearby, you could bring them water in buckets, but they will survive with snow.

[lachlanandmarcus]

I try and give mine fresh water at least every few days, but they dont seem that interested. The ewes in with the ram tho I make sure have water as they are hopefully in early pregnancy by now and they do drink it more. If you feed any unsoaked sugar beet shreds or similar then they def must have fresh unfrozen water available.

[morri2]

Mine are consuming copious amounts of water - several litres a day, ewes and rams.  I fill a lick bucket every morning with warm water from the bath tap to stop it freezing too quickly and its all gone the next day so they must want it. 

Oh! and, hello again, Andy, wondered where you'd gone!!   

 

[andywalt]

Thanks for all your replys, yes Im still around, been so busy....having a flooring company its a tence time of year and with all the snow Ive had to go and collect my fitters, strap the carpets on the roof of the 4x4 and take them to each job and collect them and take them home, but we have not fallen behind at all with any fitting...and of cousrse have been looking after my gals feeding them hay and some nuts everyday.

yup I have an empty lick bucket I will offer that everyday untill the pipes de frost to the water trough, also good news no need to build a shelter or put up a poly tunnel, the local yard next to me owned by the factory( same owner as the land where i have got the grazing licence) they have a large empty barn and looks like they will agree that I can set up some pens in the for the lambing in January !! very pleased

Hope your ok caroline?

[Cobra]

I carry water every day. Brake and clear ice from troughs before filling. The animals will drink a lot of water now as they cant get it from the usual sources, puddles, dew etc. its a pain but its just life make it your daily routine and youll do fine, even out side water at home is knackerd now so juging water into containers is a pain and time consuming but its just a need to do thing