Over the past few days here, the temperatures have plummeted. Yesterday we didn't get a positive temperature until after 2pm and the high was 0.9 degrees Centigrade. Now I know that isn't much when you compare it with what they are having to put up with in Quebec, but it is more than cold enough for me. Especially as the goats need looking after.
These are not our goats - they are adoptive goats that we look after when their owners have to go away. Bessie and Lucy are about 10 months old and Nanny is nearly 2 (Lucy is her kid). They are dwarf goats and their duty in life is to keep the grass down in their meadow, but they much prefer acorns, oak leaves, brambles, trees and maize to boring old grass.
In this cold snap, they are doing fine - there are still loads of acorns around, plus they have a bale of hay to nibble on if required, loads of grass still and we pop in (theoretically) every three or four days to give them some extra feed and make sure nothing is bothering them or that they haven't trashed anything. Currently we are having to go over more frequently to ensure they have unfrozen water. Their bowl doesn't defrost during the day, and their stream has now frozen over as well.
They are extremely podgy and have very thick coats, so they aren't suffering, whatever the goat care mafia might say. It is just the need to keep fresh water available that causes the worry. Below are pictures of all three during the summer.
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