Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Winter Time Chores

Richard, it is Ritchie waterer. There are 3 separate elements. One rigid element beneath the tank. A flexible heat tape/cord for the water line and float. And a 2-3' pencil sized element that goes down in the 'ground'.

We had electrical trouble and the 110 feed was getting double and it must have fried the element that goes in the ground.




Barry, it's been one helluva year but rumor has it the warm-up is coming. Only calling for -20F tonight.....grin



And yeah, water trouble is the number one problem when it gets cold like this.

We were discussing freeze branding back about March. I'll just put this in to show a freeze brand.

[quote=Steelhead]I'm a little confused on this whole time thing. How many beers it takes to complete, I understand.[/quote

Partially understand. Does it take 1/2 pint, pint or 5th to achieve objective. Just ate ribs that were grillin for 4 hours. In S-E Michigan its a balmy 12deg.

Richard, looks like it worked!


You guys are pulling a trailer and just flake off the squares?


We want to try that with big squares of straw. These new combines thrash things so hard it's literally impossible to roll out a bale. They just explode in big pile.


My cow friends.

I am looking for Babe the Blue Ox in that herd. I've been told in regards to cows, "You take care of them, and they will take care of you."

Sure beats the old days when the cattle would drift for miles on open ranch in a storm like that. Those cattle would pile up and die by the thousands.

Them are some fine looking animals Sam. Glad to see them so well taken care of. You can tell.

Richard, I love those cows!


Barry, we didn't really get a storm, just a big ass cold front that has been here for 7-8 days now.

But those old cows know what to do when the snow and wind start blowing. Head into the brush and hunker down. We're lucky that we have a pretty good place to winter....


Ethan, thanks man!

Interesting short read here: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/record-cold-and-snow-decimates-cattle-herds

CMR made a rendition.

http://www.ctlc.org/Last%20of%20the%205000.pdf




You can never have too much hay in the stack.......

Those were some sad, hard times!

Kinda like the movie Monte Walsh.

Damn. I just found an inch of ice on the pond. Front end loader meet ice.

We had a 7410, it was an easy starter too. It got used pretty regular over the winter, the 656 not so much. Of course it never got all that cold where I was, I remember the weather guy on the Philly TV saying that -10 was the all time record low in Philly. That's almost balmy compared to what you're dealing with. We had Ritchie waterers too, sucks big time when the electric goes down.

Happy New Year,

Dale

So far, I haven't had to break ice. I have heaters in the horses water troughs, and the cows are getting their water out of the branch. But, that's about to change as I noticed it is pretty much frozen over now. I could put a heater back in the cattle water trough, but that's water I have to buy, and I like free water. Had to haul out a few rolls of hay today, and had the NH plugged in all morning. It started faster than it does in hot weather. I really don't mind cold weather, if it weren't for the animals. There is no easy way to take care of them when it's this cold. I've got a problem in my well house, and have never had it happen before as it's doing now. It's froze somewhere, despite having heat in it. I'm not needing it now, but I don't like it not working.

Oh well, come August in Kentucky with the humidity and high temps making me feel miserable, I'll look back on this cold snap and it won't seem so bad.

Barry, that was a harsh experience for the time.


Always, ice is a constant problem!

The south boundary of our winter cow grounds is the Missouri River. Needless to say it is always a concern when it ices over.



Dale, I'd like to get a 7410 to replace the 656. We could never sell the 656 though, that little tractor is practically family.



James, all I know is the fingers get chilly when you're working on things!

We’ve got an International 574 my grandfather bought new. I can still remember his hands on the steering wheel and he’s been dead for 35 years.

We took extra hay out today. Went out this morning with a couple more tubs and salt blocks, just to see if I would need to plow out there again.

Roads were okay so we got started.

My other feed pickup is a bit sad at the moment, so all we had was the old 1980 dually.


We needed to get 8 bales out there so I got dad to haul one with his pickup, I hauled one with mine and the wife took two in the feed pickup.

That way we only had to make two trips apiece.

Just hooked a chain on the bale and pulled them out once we got there.



We might be out of luck this winter. We always graze as long as possible, but this snow is getting too damn hard. Cant hardly feed on it with a pickup.




On the bright side it did warm up some today........all the way to 22 below zero. The wind did quit though.




Supposed to be above zero tomorrow with a big wind. Still below zero with the wind chill.

My Uncle bought a new IH 574 and I bought it at his farm sale. Handy tractor for light work.



Moving some cattle between pastures. Got Ma on the 574 in the lead and I am flanking with horse.

If misery loves company, the Cat loader had a flat on the left front. Jake put the Westendorf loader on a tractor, but the bucket was frozen down rather firmly. The calves got fed once today. The were eager eaters though.

Feeding the heifer calves.

One of the waterers this morning.

The cow's open water.