Content of the article:
In order for the cattle and the bird to survive even the harshest winter months, the owner will have to work hard in the fall. The best month for the preparatory work is October. It is necessary to prepare food and insulate the habitat of animals. To do this, they develop an action plan in advance and purchase all the necessary materials.
Fodder Procurement Rules
Animals will be able to cope with frost only with sufficient food. On the preparation of feed, you need to think in advance. In the period of haymaking, a sufficient amount of hay is harvested and dried.
In October, food is prepared from crop residues from the garden. Potatoes, zucchini, corn, carrots, pumpkin, greens and even weeds left after the final weeding are suitable. They are suitable for rabbits, goats, sheep and chickens.
For the preparation of feed, all selected plants are ground and placed in a prepared pit. Processing takes place due to lactic acid fermentation. To start the process, the herbal mixture must be sufficiently moist. If necessary, you can add cucumbers or zucchini. But do not overdo it, excess moisture will lead to loss of quality of food.
A filled hole must be covered. After four weeks the feed is checked for readiness. If it smells of fresh kvass or apples, then it is ready to eat.
How to prepare chickens for winter?
Chickens spend the winter in an equipped hen house. If it is equipped incorrectly, then the bird will die. When insulating a chicken coop follow the following recommendations:
- Walls, floor and ceiling upholstered with any material, such as shingles, foam or specialized insulation. You can use thick sheets of plywood.
- Walls must be plastered. A mixture of clay, water and sawdust is used as a solution. The thickness of the applied layer should be at least 3 cm. If after drying the base layer cracks appear, then the plaster is applied again.
- If the chickens lack calcium in winter, they will begin to peck up the plaster. Plastering the bottom of the wall with plastic panels will help prevent this.
- An infrared heater will help the chickens survive the cold weather. This device is considered safe and highly effective. It consumes the minimum amount of electricity.
- The floor of the hen house is filled with sawdust, peat, leaves or straw chopping. This will not rake out bird droppings every day. The thickness of the litter layer must be at least 25 cm.
In order for the chickens to fly during the winter period, they must be fed twice a day, morning and evening.
Industrial feed mixed with cooked silage. You can add to the feed 30 grams of yeast diluted in one and a half liters of water. This will increase egg production.
Preparing cattle for wintering
Cattle are kept in winter months in spacious barns. October is the ideal time to prepare the room for the cold. The following rules must be observed:
- All barn slots carefully caulk. Make sure that there are no cracks in the window frames and door jamb. They should close tightly. Doors are warmed with mats made of straw.
- Thoroughly examine the roof for leaks, crevices and other damage. If necessary, carry out repairs.
- Stalls and feeders require disinfection. To do this, they are first mechanically cleaned, and then treated with specialized means.
- Particular attention is paid to the organization of the litter. It is recommended to use for this peat, straw or sawdust. In extreme cases, use dry leaves or fir branches. Before laying the straw, it is necessary to grind it so that the size of the segments does not exceed 25 cm.
In addition to arranging the shed, you need to take care of the place for walking the animals in the winter. If there is not much cattle, then a plot of 100 square meters will be quite enough. Enclose it with a fence. In winter it is enough for cattle to walk for a couple of hours.
How to create a comfortable environment for rabbits?
Experts recommend keeping rabbits outdoors in insulated cages in the winter. So animals will get enough fresh air, their immunity will be strengthened, the probability of developing infectious diseases will be reduced. When organizing a dwelling for rabbits, the following recommendations are taken into account:
- Cells should be raised at least 80 cm above ground level. They are placed on wooden poles on which boards are laid. Outside, it is recommended to sheathe the structure with sheets of metal.
- The space between the walls and the cell is filled with insulating material. You can use straw, moss, dry leaves or small branches. Acceptable use and building insulation materials.
- The space under the cell floor can be warmed with old quilted jackets, blankets and other unnecessary things.
- Artificial heating is not necessary to use. Enough to fill most of the internal space of crushed hay. Rabbits themselves will warm the air with their breath.
Proper preparation of the economic yard for the winter will allow the animals to winter in peace. If you fulfill all the recommendations, chickens will rush, cows and goats will give milk, and rabbits will bring posterity.