Cold weather and alpacas

With the extreme weather we have been having this winter, I decided to do the deep bedding again this year. So the first thing was to get plenty of straw, and each day new straw is put on top of the poo piles in the barn. With so much snow on the ground, it is impossible to clean the poo like I normally do, and this also helps to keep the animals much warmer, as the composting poo helps to heat the barn. In addition, I also leave the barn lights on because the alpacas don't even want to stick their heads out of the barn, and feel they need more light in there. So far, everyone has survived these extreme temperatures, but I did take the Anatolians into the house when the temps reached five and below zero. Even the Guineas appreciated their heated house and did not roost in the trees like they normally do. With herd health day approaching, I am keeping my fingers crossed that we get a day somewhere in between where I can give shots without them freezing in my hands. As cold as it has been, it may possibly be ok to put that off a few days. Oh the joys of farming in the wintertime. There were several days that my pump in the barn was frozen, and since the alpacas needed water in their tanks, I used my trusty sled to haul 5 gallon buckets of water from the house to the barn. Fortunately, my pipes in the house were ok(I kept faucets dripping at night and the cupboard doors open), and the heaters in the water tanks worked their magic as well.