The Polar Vortex continues to vex.... but so far so good.

Yesterday I got all my livestock shuffling done. Everyone got bedded down and snuggled in. The cold is upon us now. While it's nothing like the -30* nights we've had before... it's still pretty bad. But we only need everyone to make it to Monday when the cold will ease up.

Baby Bubby! Remember when he was just a tiny little snow face?

The meat chickens took the longest because I had to scoop them up and then haul them into their new pen in the garage - one at a time. Ti helped me keep them contained.

The worst part about livestock in winter? Trying to convince them to live. It's like they are all born to die. It's like they try every single way to shuffle off their mortal feathers.... usually ingloriously and due to stupidity. It was a long day but I finally got them all resettled. Good thing meat chickens are delicious. They are almost too stupid to live.

Despite all our reservations and concerns... the heat lamps worked. The temperature in the garage actually went up a bit. Add to that all the bodies and soon they were right as rain.

Peep feets. The cats have been glued to the heated bed.

The goats were already packed and ready to leave for the Turkey House by the time I got over there. They made a beeline to the newly strawed in spot and belly flopped right on down. Then commenced to bitchin'. For a long time. Because I put them exactly where they wanted to be. Goats. They are like that. Ingrates.

This morning we were very glad that we did not burn down the garage or the Turkey House. Everyone seemed to be doing OK so we are tentatively calling it a success.

Do you need strategies for cold weather livestock care?  Here are a few of ours...

• We weren't entirely concerned with a big winter storm but if you need to Defeat The Four Horsemen of the Sno-pocalypse: Winter Storm prep... here you go.

• Our advice for extreme cold weather livestock care.

• Why we shuffled the goats around and why it works. 

• When you have sustained, extreme cold you need a strategy and not just to "hurry" thru chores. Here is what we do and how we handle having 45 minutes of chores when you can get frostbite in 10 minutes. 

• How do we decide who can go outside and who has to sit inside? It's a tough call sometimes.

In the end you can only give the barnyard the tools for success and do your best. Winter is tough. But with the right strategies you might get thru it..... but I'm still vexed.

Happy Saturday everyone! How are you doing with this cold? Everyone ok?