Charlie ? Your animals are "outside" in weather like that ?
My better half just saw that post...
And she says "she wants to know" heh
As well she should be concerned.
We have a south facing lean-to shelter and barn for the Shetland sheep (8 currently - should be 12 to 14 in the spring) to use and they will not go into it at night - even though that's were we feed them (hay at all times and Shepherd 16 - 16% protein for their little "engines" - twice a day). I know of two local sheep farms that don't offer ANY shelter - not even trees (which we also have for their windbreak inside the pasture). But then they have 8" thick wool sweaters. That's one of the reasons we went with that breed - they are "native" to Scandinavia (off shoot of the Finn sheep) and tolerant of North Sea cold winters. I still feel for them, and we put water out twice a day.
The turkeys and chickens are in coops that are inside a larger barn (were horse stalls that I walled in) - but there is no electricity and they rely on each other. On the other hand - they have free range, room to get out, plenty of food (whole corn keeps them warmer from the gizzard action) and have it better than the wild turkeys and grouse (and deer) who take it as nature supplies it.
Five cats and the dog all in the house (the cats are not allowed out ever). And usually at least one "volunteer" barn cat that folks are kind enough to toss out their door as they drive by the house. The five that are now house cats - one has three legs (mauled as a kitten by a dog or coyote), one was near tore in half by a dog or coyote and had a kidney and intestines outside the abdominal wall and had to be reassembled, one has epilepsy, one was found in a dumpster at Dunkin Donuts and presented to us at age about three weeks and needed to be bottle fed, and the last one was found almost entirely starved and was eating the greasy cardboard of a happy meal. That had been a house cat that had no outdoor skills and she is absolutely beautiful now. All black long hair.
The local SPEAK knows we are soft touches and will give the hard or difficult adoption cases a good home.
Moe (needs one mo' leg)
Mooch (the most attentive cat ever - all healed up - but look close - Moe is behind him - best pals)
Toad
Poodie (and her protector Jake - our Kerry Blue Terrier - about eight years ago. Still pals)
Cricket
