By … that’s pretty much what I’ve been playing with … but out in the paddock.
This shelter has had many lives … and most recently it has served me well as a tack barn. For quite a while now I have been musing on just how I could give Rosie and Bella a larger winter space. When blizzards or ice storms blow in they need space to eat in – which means space they’ll poop in – and a separate cozy space to lay down in. They’ve been sharing their digs with the goats this summer – and that has worked out pretty well.
It is not summer any more … So I would find myself sitting on the ferry (going to get straw) musing on how I could move critters around. Or I find myself awake from three to four in the morning … planning moves in my head. I’ve considered building a straw house for the ducks – moving the goats into the duck house … Nope. Or moving the ducks down into the front paddock barn … ’cause I REALLY want to carry water all the way down there … NOPE.
When FINALLY it dawns on me – THE TACK BARN! Sounds so much more sophisticated when I say Tack Barn. Really … it had started to become a ‘catch all’. It took me most of an afternoon but I hauled all of those goodies out of there – and into the open space in the hay barn. (THAT is work for another day…)
The goats are happy with their sunny quarters. At night I use a pallet to close off the door but leave them with fresh air. There is a real wind coming along tonight – from the south – which means directly at them. I got to work today finishing Step Two of being prepared for that.
That door is now sporting a window to let the light in. I will feel comfortable about closing that up tonight once Dottie and MayMay are fed and curled up on their beds. When needed it will hold in the warmth – which they require to keep those ‘airplane ears’ from getting frostbitten off!
I sure sleep better when I know all of our flerd family are warm, safe and happy at night!
Hope you are too!
Hugs from the Meadow Mice
The Meadow View 