Wet Sheep Cold Weather

[LindyAcres]

This winter has been rainier than usual and my flock has been wet for weeks. They used to take shelter in rain and now they just hang out getting wet. I am worried because our temps are about to drop for the next 5 days to high in 20's and lows in the teens. Should I bring them in and towel them off? Put jackets on them? They seem happy and healthy otherwise....

 

[Mini Horses]

Check how far down into their fleece the wetness goes. I'm thinking pretty much surface moisture. If freezes, insulation. If wet to skin they'd be very cold and shivering. Animals need protection but, some more than others.

Horses will come in from heavy, cold rain but SNOW? They often stand out in it. They have ability to raise hair and when snow sits unmelted, you have a healthy horse.....sounds/looks like a bad thing, but fact.

I like shelter available. Using is normally their decision -- so long as no bullying out. 🤞👍

 

[LindyAcres]

Thanks for the advice. I'll go back out and see if it's all the way wet to the skin. So far no one has been shivering. They have shelter they used more last year. This year they only go in sometimes 🤷‍♀️ Our ducks make me laugh because they are the only ones completely undeterred by rain.

 

[Simpleterrier]

Animals aren't human and are different most of the time they know what they are doing. Give them the choice if the don't want to then that's their choice. It will almost always surprise you on what they do and put up with.

 

[LindyAcres]

We are well past our cold snap now and everyone was fine. Their wool was only wet on the top not down to their skin and they somehow got themselves dry right before the temp tanked. They spend the whole cold 10 days walking around like any other day. (pigs, ducks, bunnies, and dogs were all fine too) Thanks for the advice you were right

 

[Ridgetop]

What breed of sheep are they? If you need to shear them, they will be fine in snow. If they are not using the shelter, check to see if the floor has flooded or gotten to wet. You may need to add grave r Dri-stall to absorb water.

 

[LindyAcres]

They are wool sheep who we shear in the spring. Luckily their shelters have dry floors even with all the flooding we had from snow melt. I put down a ton of mulch hay and straw where there was mud and puddles in their paddock

 

[Ridgetop]

They should be fine.

FYI before the advent of plastic diaper covers (way before Pampers too LOL) women would knit wool diaper covers. They made them larger then would boil them to shrink the wool. They became water tight after shrinking. Wool has great properties for keeping out water and keeping heat in. I used to wear wool boot socks in summer when riding because they kept my feet cooler. So California summers are 98-105 degrees.