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Barnyard Buddies:  Water in winter  |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 03 2013 : 3:25:07 PM
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Ok, I have heard so many people say how their sheep and goats drink lots of water in winter. How they haul buckets and buckets all day. Well, I have 8 ewes and 3 rams, 8 does and 2 bucks. And they do not drink much at all right now. hardly any, in fact. Now the dogs and cats drink water all day. I am always filling water bowls for them. But not the sheep and goats. Is something wrong with them? Maybe they aren't eating enough salt or minerals? It really hasn't been too awfully cold here yet. Just lots of rain and mud. I do have a salt block out for the goats and the sheep get a loose mineral. Any ideas?
Kris
Happiness is simple.
www.kris-outbackfarm.blogspot.com |
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kysheeplady
True Blue Farmgirl
1291 Posts
Teri
KY
USA
1291 Posts |
Posted - Jan 03 2013 : 3:43:17 PM
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Hi Kris,
do you think they should be drinking more? If so, see if you can find some additive at your local feed store ...
Mine drink from the pond and a huge stock tank,that I refill every 4 days with fresh water. But it has been raining so much here that for the past 2 weeks it has kept it over full! just like my pond!
Teri
"There are black sheep in every flock"
White Sheep Farm
www.whitesheepfarm.com |
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rksmith
True Blue Farmgirl
858 Posts
Rachel
Clayton
GA
USA
858 Posts |
Posted - Jan 03 2013 : 5:18:40 PM
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All of our critters have slowed down on their water intake recently. Everyone here appears to be in good health and we haven't noticed any changes in their behaviors or eating patterns. Perhaps they are just not losing as much water during this time of year since it is cooler and they are more fuzzy (well not the chickens, but anyway). I would say that if they appear in good shape and nothing else changes just monitor them for now (that's what we're doing).
Rachel
Farmgirl Sister #2753
True enlightenment is nothing but the nature of one's own self being fully realised-- His Holiness the Dali Lama
www.madameapothecary.com |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jan 03 2013 : 6:17:55 PM
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I just thought they should be drinking more now. I remember having to haul water to them in past years. Maybe with all the rain we've had, I just haven't had to fill up the water buckets as much. Just worrying for nothing, I guess. And the chickens drink from the puddles too. So don't really have to worry about them. They all do drink a whole lot of water in spring and summer. And they are all healthy so far.
Kris
Happiness is simple.
www.kris-outbackfarm.blogspot.com |
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crittergranny
True Blue Farmgirl
1096 Posts
Laura
Lindrith
NM
USA
1096 Posts |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jan 04 2013 : 08:16:46 AM
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I did have to haul water to the poor does this morning. When I looked, their bucket was nearly empty. And of course everything is frozen solid. The goats do drink a lot more than the sheep do. The goats have a solod salt block that they are always licking on. They get hay and the does that are bred or milking only get grain.
Kris
Happiness is simple.
www.kris-outbackfarm.blogspot.com |
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SandraM
True Blue Farmgirl
295 Posts
Sandra
Coldwater
Michigan
USA
295 Posts |
Posted - Jan 07 2013 : 12:08:52 PM
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My ewes/does don't seem to drink as much water in winter, especially if there is snow on the ground.
My husband does run a hose in the rafters of the barn and it comes out by the outside water buckets. I just have to hook it up to the water spigot. When it am done watering I do have to remember to undo the hose so it can drain the water out so it does not freeze. It keeps me from having to haul buckets of water.
Sandra
www.mittenstatesheepandwool.com |
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Barnyard Buddies: Water in winter |
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Water in winter
