Farmerjan's journal - Weather

That extra set of hands…… I know that feeling. I hope the calf perks up and doesn’t get sick.
 
Monday morning. Getting ready to head up to feed bottles. It is very windy out there so will be cold. The sun is out, some clouds but they will move on... we did not get the amount of rain they said, I will check the gauges and bring them in since we are supposed to only get to mid 40's today and then down in the LOW 20's tonight and tomorrow night... tomorrow is only supposed to hit mid 30's so a cold front going through... then back to the 50's/30's by Thursday... more normal for us.

Hope to work on the new frame today but the wind/cold will determine that. Since it is supposed to be so cold tomorrow, that is the day I will make some rounds... errands/shopping and such. Have been putting together a list of some stuff to get at Sharp Shopper. Then I shouldn't need to go to the grocery store for anything with everyone getting crazy shopping this last week before Christmas.

Think I will do the chicken this afternoon and then warm up the house for this evening. It is in the fridge, took it out to finish thawing yesterday since it wasn't going very fast in the fridge after taking it out of the freezer, and then decided I wasn't going to cook it yesterday, so stuck it back in there.

Time to brave the elements...
 

Maybe something like this would work?

They have a lot of size options, but I don’t know if any would cover it in one piece. You might have to piece some together with some overlapping. Which might not work with your metal frame, and these having grommets around the edges, you might not have a way to attach the overlap parts. I think their largest size is 20’x20’.

But I really love how strong these are. They are transparent enough to let some sun in in the winter, but opaque enough to block out some of the sun in the summer. (I detach and fold some of the front part back in the summer to allow more air flow, and that makes the double layer part block the sun better.)

Where mine drapes on the ground, I use landscaping staples through the grommets to hold it in place. Straw bales might work even better. How I figured what size to get is I measured how tall the sides of my pen were plus the distance from the roof edge to the roof peak. Then doubled that so it would go from the ground on one side, up and over to the ground on the other side. Then I looked to see what size tarp they offered that had that much plus a little extra for pinning it to the ground. (Mine has a LOT extra.)

Then if you consider that the width, then for the length it depends on if you want to wrap it around the front and the back, or just the back with leaving the front open, or if you just want to leave the front and back both open like a wind tunnel and then close those up with separate pieces.

So, I don’t know how the cost of these tarps compares with the greenhouse plastic you have access to. Or how the thickness and sturdiness compares. But I love the sturdiness of these. I don’t mess with the shredding type tarps that Tractor Supply and Walmart carry any more. Especially since I read the fine print on the label and found out they may contain lead! Those things break down and I didn’t realize I had tiny unremoveable lead shreds all over my yard. Grr!

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@Finnie that is the same "fabric" plastic the 1/2 greenhouse I have is made out of. And that is what the new cover is made out of that does not fit the old frame. It is pretty sturdy compared to the TSC type tarps... they do disintegrate and make a mess everywhere.
I am going to measure the old frame and see... they offer 20 x up to 40 ft long ......maybe a 20 x 20 and then 2 separate ones on the ends like the shelter logic ones... thanks for the reference though... going to think on it.

Plus, I am wondering if I could use the frame as the basic "support" for the poly carbonate sheets... they make special pieces to go on the edges to "attach them together".... like an H channel where the edges slide in and it forms a seal.... some company in Ca or Id or somewhere, sent me a message and they are a greenhouse company and they can supply most anything I want... their prices were pretty competitive...I could put a few more pieces of the pipe inbetween the existing ones horizontally, to add more support, on the roof parts, and then just put these poly panels on it... Might be cheaper than buying a whole one for $1-2,000.... and it would be heavier since I want at least 8mm poly carbonate panels (that are 5/16 in) .... the usual 4 mm poly panels that most of the greenhouse kits are made of are like 1/4 inch thick. Plus, I want an "overhang" so the water runs off the roof part and does not run down the outside of the upright panels....
The wind we got early this morning and all day was rough on it..... tried to take it over again... I opened up the back panel DS had zipped shut to keep the rain out so the wind could blow through instead of coming in one end and lifting it up like it was. There is just so much gusty wind here that these "plastic" type ones just don't do good... even "tied down" they are subject to the wind so much... I do have to get the new frame built and get it put on that so it fits better and can be tied/fastened down better too... with air not getting underneath it like it is now... It was just too cold today to do it... the wind was rough. Tomorrow is supposed to be colder... then back to more normal so I will try to work on it Wed/ Thursday... get the cover over on the slightly smaller one and see how it holds up....

The little calves were shivering when I fed their bottles this morning, although they are acting better and better... SO.... I went down to the co-op and they have calf blankets... only 1 in the small "jersey/twin calf" size.. but they had a sheep/goat undercoat there... so I got the small one and a sheep/goat coat... the calf one is more "waterproof" cover and stuff doesn't stick to it as much as the sheep/goat one as it is like a fleece type material... but I got them on the calves tonight. These 2 little ones just can't keep their little small bodies warm enough and the barn is still 1/2 open and much more drafty... yes they can get in out of the rain and all... but their little bodies do not have much "fat cover" and it is not like they can get a warm drink every hour or 2 from a mom right there with them to keep warmer... so I got them little "coats" to help hold in their body heat. I was going to try the regular size, but these guys (heifers) would have gotten lost in it... the small calf one is plenty big enough... and the sheep/goat one is about the same size as the small calf one....
Now, if they will just leave them on.... It is down to 30 already but that wind chill has made it feel like 20's all day... it actually got up to 50 but sure didn't feel like it.
The bigger calves are fine... they are eating good and have really started to grow.... but they are 6 weeks too..,
Calf that we treated looks and acts much better... still a cough but eyes look clear, and is not droopy. There were 4 in that side of the barn to get out of the worst of the wind tonight... they went out when I put the little calves over there so I could feed 2 at a time and not get mobbed... but they were back in when I was putting the coats on the calves... I fed grain this morning ... DS put 2 rolls of hay in the field and they had really eaten them down already... they will need more Tues eve or Wed at the latest. But there are 20 plus in there eating so to be expected.

We got a total of barely .9 inches of rain out of it... about half of what they were predicting... but it was cold and blustery today.... Then as I was feeding the calves tonight, we got some snow flurries... and the clouds in the sky were really dark.... I just checked the forecast when I came in and they said chance of a few snow flurries for a few hours... with snow accumulating 6-12 inches in the WV mountains/ski resort areas... I do not want that yet for sure ...

Made the custard... ate some ham and green beans for supper. Going to make the chicken tomorrow night.
 
We got 3.39"....now we're almost 8" over for yr. Looks like we may get a little more with this coming front ☹️. Ditches & rivers running full.

Those little heifers will appreciate the coats. Being so young, they may not try to get them off.🤞🤞the wind is bitter for the little ones...and no big ole cow to snuggle🥴 especially "no fat" dairy ones. I have some mini horse blankets from show years. I've used them on goats before. Dog coats for kids. It works!
 
Mini Horses said:
We got 3.39"....now we're almost 8" over for yr. Looks like we may get a little more with this coming front ☹️. Ditches & rivers running full.

Those little heifers will appreciate the coats. Being so young, they may not try to get them off.🤞🤞the wind is bitter for the little ones...and no big ole cow to snuggle🥴 especially "no fat" dairy ones. I have some mini horse blankets from show years. I've used them on goats before. Dog coats for kids. It works!
Click to expand...
Didn't know whether to like for the "coats" comments or WOW or SAD for the water/rain.... we are still about 7-8 inches short for the year to date... guess you got all ours .....
It is cold out... 27 with the wind still blowing.
 
Calves all fed and grain in barn... 3 of the bigger ones came in through the creep feeder when they saw me up there... they know a good thing... there is one that just doesn't come in often... and the one that looks bloated all the time usually comes in... he was working his way there when I left.
Babies still had their coats on... and acted more spunky... so I think the warmth helped them. I readjusted the calf coat to make it a little tighter around the neck/shoulders... it was too loose. The sheep one only has a "hole" in the material so it actually stayed in place better... but it does not have that more solid outer covering that I am sure cuts the wind a little better. I put it on the more aggressive twin... and it sure is alot better than her little body trying to keep warm without it.

Getting ready to head out to do the errands/shopping. It was cold this morning 24 to start. Thermometer said 45 in the sun but as soon as it was again out of the direct sun it dropped to 40. Not supposed to get any higher than that. Tonight is supposed to drop into the upper teens...
Wind is not anything like yesterday... but still a breeze out there. Chickens out and put out "liquid water" for them since everything else is frozen. Tomorrow will be even worse. Need to remember to dump the water pan this evening.
Then it is supposed to warm back up to the low 30's and low 50's for a few days then rain after Christmas.

Last cow at the milk cow pasture finally calved... nice looking little black bull calf... I think DS said there are still 6or so at doug's that haven't calved yet. They will get switched to the spring calving bunch and there are 2 that are 12-13 yrs old that will probably not get bred back and will raise their calf and get sold at the end of the summer...

Time to get out of here and do something even if it is wrong.
 
Wed morning. a "cool" 20 this morning... BRRRR:ep🥶🥶🥶🥶.

Sun coming up across the hill, it is supposed to warm up into the low 50's today... average is 30 night and 40-50's during the day. Next few nights are supposed to be closer to normal temps. No white Christmas here. Rain next week and supposed to be a couple of days... we still need the moisture so hoping it will come down soft and slow like the last couple times.

Went and did errands yesterday after feeding. Calves looking and acting good. Twins seem to be doing much better with their calf coats; relieved that they aren't shivering all the time. The one is drinking slower with the lamb/foal nipple and I might try switching her to the calf nipple also... the other one I already switched is drinking faster but is also not butting as much so is getting enough milk without working so hard for it to keep her satisfied.

Got everything done that I wanted to between the day shopping going to the "north" to stores, and Sharp Shopper... and after feeding and locking everyone in, going south to Walmart for a few things for the "kids" that I have always done and just because DS is not enmeshed in the "family" he still sees the kids and will be spending Christmas night with x's daughter and her father and his family (which are fellow farmer friends)... and the sister's 2 kids DS still sees a couple times a week... the little boy still wants to come and "help feed" on the farm.... Not fair to just cut them out because the ex is a jerk...
DS has said that he will not take her back now... that he is done and had enough... He has gotten calmer about it and so maybe he has FINALLY come to the realization that it is not going to work. Shame he wasted so many years and so much effort on her.

Ate a bowl of custard this morning and had a big mug of hot chocolate... getting ready to head up the hill....got to start the car so it will warm up and then the bottles will not cool down when I am feeding 2 and 2... I feed the bigger ones first since they are out there at the gate, after putting the 2 smaller ones in the other pen.... then go in and take the grain to the 2 bigger ones for in the bunk, and feed the 2 smaller ones their bottles and let them back in with the 2 bigger ones, then put the rest of the grain in the bunk feeder in the barn for the ones that come in the creep gate. I usually put a little out in the 2 feeders in the outside pen and some in the inside bunk... they get about 2+ gallons of feed for the 5 calves (maybe 10 lbs)... not all come in all the time... they probably will come in today though since DS did not feed hay yesterday... told him they would be good to clean it up some yesterday and that today would be soon enough to feed it. Otherwise they waste so much... I would hope he would roll it out since there won't be any rain for a couple days to get it wet and unpalatable...spread out the manure and they don't tromp over it so much either...

Oh well, it is 30 on the thermometer, but it is in the sun right now. Yesterday it hit 46 in the sun but then dropped to 40 and the car thermometer said 36 and 38 all day so I expect it was just under 40 out there all day. It was cold with enough breeze to be biting out there. There is not supposed to be much wind today, thank goodness...
 
I hope you get your rain nicely next week -- you can have mine, too!!! 🙄. They say not as much wetness this week. Great!! My ground is still soft enough to make tracks from the tractor & cars.☹️ I have too much moisture right now. Winds were hard here yesterday, too.

I've been looking at those tarps that @Finnie suggested and thinking I'm going to consider them to surround the end of the back porch. SE corner, so good sun majority of the day. In fact, prices are good, may do other end & have DS add a door at steps. It's really heavy fabric! Need to measure up first & check again. Thinking to roll them up under porch overhang in summer -- else it'd be a heat tank😱
 
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