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Post by icehorse on Dec 22, 2008 14:03:18 GMT -5
So quiet today, we must all be out breaking ice and hauling water buckets...at least that's what I've been doing the last week.
Living in snow for the first time-it really sucks. What do you do when there is no power near your horses, and the water line goes 1,000 feet? Is there some kind of solar deicer?
I read some good suggestions on fugly's board yesterday, but none of them had suggestions for people with no power. we left the water running, but floats, hose, everything froze. troughs froze 8+ inches deep. It was 2 degrees the other day. Crazy. None of the horses are shivering, but is has been challenging getting water in there.
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Post by frr2 on Dec 22, 2008 14:06:16 GMT -5
Oh you poor thing! I can't even imagine living in snow again....
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Post by lorsadoon on Dec 22, 2008 14:24:59 GMT -5
If you can afford a generator. You can use it for the barn. Run stock tank heaters. You must make sure they are full when you know the bad weather is coming.
We have our hose bib buried about a foot in the ground. It is in a box that is insulated on the sides and top. So far it has not frozen. We attach a 2 foot hose when we need water. Of course I need to unbury it every time I want to use it as it is covered with snow, but it has worked well so far.
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Post by icehorse on Dec 22, 2008 21:07:25 GMT -5
Praise the Lord for temps above freezing today...our line unfroze and water filled the troughs again-by themselves...whew.
Our hose bib is in an enclosed box with insulation, but the 1000 piping is just on the ground. Since we just moved here 4 months ago, onto 60 acres with just a house, we've had to build everything for the horses...and we're just renting here until we can build on the land we bought across the river.
Thanks!
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Post by blueponygirl on Dec 22, 2008 21:09:31 GMT -5
Ok some of you prob know this but I was completely amazed when I learned this from a seasoned rancher in Eastern Wa. I have no power either to my water tanks and would go out break the ice up on the top and it would all refreeze.............But if you only break a small hole big enough for the horse to get their muzzzle thru to drink the wate below. When they drink the water down from the layer of ice it works kind of like an insulation and the water below the ice tank does not refreeze solid. It sure has helped to keep water available to our horses during this cold snap!!
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Post by leosolis on Dec 22, 2008 22:43:17 GMT -5
So quiet today, we must all be out breaking ice and hauling water buckets...at least that's what I've been doing the last week. Living in snow for the first time-it really sucks. What do you do when there is no power near your horses, and the water line goes 1,000 feet? Is there some kind of solar deicer? I read some good suggestions on fugly's board yesterday, but none of them had suggestions for people with no power. we left the water running, but floats, hose, everything froze. troughs froze 8+ inches deep. It was 2 degrees the other day. Crazy. None of the horses are shivering, but is has been challenging getting water in there. We are working on modifying a tank heater to use with a deep cycle battery...I'll let you know if it works. WE have no power at the ranch & it took me 4.5 hours to feed & break water there today. I got stuck in all the snow so many times I lost count. The biggest concern was the water tank, its at the top of a hill so we had to hike up to it..good lord, I should be losing weight...  |
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Post by beckybee on Dec 23, 2008 11:20:33 GMT -5
I just moved to 40 acres in the snow on November 1. We have no power at all (off grid) so everything we have is from solar or the diesel generator. Our water is from a spring about a half mile away. Fortunately all the pipe is buried so no interruption in water from the storage tanks (so far).
I don't have any tank de-icers so have been hauling buckets of hot water from the house to melt the ice. I refilled everything the last few days in the "warm snap" so I was ready when everything froze last night - amazingly there was still water running at the barn.
Lost 2 chickens to a rackitycoon. He's scaling a 6' wire fence. Anyone have luck with using an electric fence to keep predators out? I figured I would run 2 strands of hot wire - one about 1' above the ground and another 5' above the ground and use the actual wire mesh fencing as the electrical ground to shock the little bastard.
What else? Oh, whenever the snow starts melting the generator room floods so I have to keep swooshing the water out of there.
On the plus side, I have finally learned to drive in the snow and ice!
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Post by beckybee on Dec 23, 2008 11:24:28 GMT -5
Oh, icehorse, my landlord said that we need to run the water at 1 to 2 gallons per minute to keep the water flowing at our place. He suggesting taking out a milk carton and timing the flow to make sure we had enough water running.
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Post by icehorse on Dec 23, 2008 12:02:09 GMT -5
Beckybee,
Thank you. Sorry about your chickens. One year, I watched as a Huge bobcat leaped over the 6ft fence, with my beloved chickens in his mouth, one after the other. Middle of the day. Could hardly believe my eyes. Hope the hot tape works. Try bird netting on top if possible.
To top things off I've had a horrible stomach flu (all 5 of us in the family got it, so no sleep, everyone got a 12 hour bout of puking, and now I'm doing laundry.) Couple of those days I begged my neighbor to feed and fill the water troughs. what a saint he was!
Thanks for the suggestions. We are all just miserable huh?!
I'm starting to learn to drive in the snow too. I just go reaaaal slow. I am used to tons of rain and mud, so I'm actually liking the freeze and snow. so far.
Since we're building our house and barn from the ground up on the property we bought, (starting next year or so) at least I'll know what I'm dealing with and can be prepared.
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Post by icehorse on Dec 23, 2008 13:59:45 GMT -5
Oh and I've been taking care of that guys blk/white TWH stallion while he's out of town too. He lives about 6 miles from me and I go in and check the water and feed and grain him. he's the one in the 20 ft round pen. no company, he's put on weight, but still weaving...
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Post by pnp4kidz on Dec 23, 2008 22:58:08 GMT -5
awe man... I grew up in St Louis MO, and that is why I live in N. CA now... I hate the freezing weather.
The snow is so pretty for a day, or maybe two... then I'm done with it, and Ice, I can live without forever.
I don't know of any tricks... sorry...
but I am sure there are some, like the nose hole instead of breaking all the ice.
we never had electric at our barns there, and we froze solid... all winter, so I'm sure there is a way...
I'll keep praying for warm weather ladies...
so long as You will keep praying for a man to find me who wants to live the life of ranching...
:-)
How is my Big Bob?
He came from Canada when he was a baby... bet he is having dreams of that again now!
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Post by halfwayhome on Dec 24, 2008 1:07:45 GMT -5
Iwrote this once as the BB was going down yesterday and it got lost in cyberspace, but when we were little, my dad would make an insulated type enclosure for the water trough: a big box, bottom lined with sawdust, put tub in, fill in all around it with sawdust so it was insulated well, cover top with boards,leaving only a small opening, can even put straw bales on top if able. I still remember how well that worked.
We have the frost free hydrants that drain back below freezing so water is always available, easy to dig and put when doing water lines and available at any farm supply store, etc. Hoses must always be taken off and fully drained and then can use year round, but the draining is the key as any water left in will freeze and block it up and that is no fun!! and after experiencing cheap hoses in the winter, I must say the ones that remain flexible are so much nicer these days! We have now situated everyone here so that I can run a tank heater to each area, here in E. WA. that is a true necessity to me, as its just my husband and I who care for the animals and this way they have enough water to drink and have never had a colic problem, etc from lack of hydration. It has been so very cold below zero for such a sustained time that I am SOOOOO thankful I have them, although the old energy bill this month will be max!
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