It all depends on the season. Cattle, chickens, dogs & cats, occasionally feeder pigs.
Right now, with the heat wave, I'm spending quite a lot of time with the feeder pigs (11 of them, almost ready for slaughter) OMG the pigs and their mud!!! I was not set up for 11 of them when hubby brought them home from the auction. I expected 2 or 3. Their pen is plenty big enough, but we had to scramble for feeders and watering systems that didn't break the bank. I carry two 5-gal buckets of feed to them 2x a day, top off their water tanks 3x a day (and dump and refill every other day while slogging in the mud with them), spray them with the hose 2x a day in the afternoon heat, toss an armful or two of weeds to them over the fence, wet the mud holes, curse at the flies, pet and scratch backs, and don't forget Fergie and #31 want their drink from the water hose. Then hose myself down, hang the muck boots to dry, and go take a shower. Whew. Aug 8th they're out of here.
Next, it's the chickens. 38 layers and 1 rooster with 13 pullets and cockerels in one run and coop, and another 17 little ones in a separate coop. Fighting the heat, managing integration, keeping feeders and waterers full and moving them with the shade as the day progresses. Checking fans, counting little heads, collecting eggs, scouting for holes in the run fencing. I try to remember to turn over that board in the littles' coop to let them chase the crickets and beetles underneath. I pull a big clump or two of grass with attached roots/dirt and toss in there as well. Yesterday I collected grass clippings and threw them in the big run for a hen party. Today (100-degrees) everybody got a few frozen 2-liter bottles thrown on the floor.
Two bottle calves, 10-weeks old, get their bottles 2x a day (half ration) and grower feed in the trough, top off the water tank, check their manure for signs of problems, then rub down and play with them for a few minutes. Missy gets her belly, udders and legs rubbed too - as I hope to make her into a milk cow for us. They have a round bale to nibble on in addition to graze in their corral.
Finally, the big cows in the pasture get their water tank topped off 2x a day, head count and welfare check. Two heifers due to calve in September, two more next spring. Once a week or so I dust their backs with fly dust. They'll line up at the gate waiting for this.
The dogs get fed and thrown into the back yard, check their water. Cats let outside in the mornings, and back in a few minutes later. Not much to do for them. Today I brought the dogs in for the afternoon. Attention, play with toys and snuggles in the evening.
Then the garden, if it isn't too friggin' HOT to go out there. Weeds. Always weeds.
Can I go take a nap, now?
