Today I had a conversation with one of my rural ‘study buddies’ that made me stop and wonder ….
We were talking about life on the land and some of it’s trickier aspects, particularly in relation to the weather. There is no doubt that a farming life is not for the faint hearted. Day in… day out, the work is relentless and so often thankless, but then I got to thinking about the animals…in particular the chooks.
My friend was telling me about a recent and sudden cold snap that saw temps plummet to -6deg, unprecedented in the area. She went out to feed the chooks only to find their water frozen solid yet THEY were busy clucking and laying like it was any other day.
How IS that ? I mean their frail little bodies have hardly any insulation, not to mention their scrawny legs and feet…. and while they wear their feather coat, it’s hardly made for sub 
zero conditions.
Then there are the eggs, what stops them from freezing solid? I know that they are being sat on … but seriously those outside temps cannot be good for them.
Clearly there are a range of farm animals that need to deal with these adverse conditions …but somehow my mind could not go past the image of a small frozen hen trying to please it’s owner despite the potential frostbite…I’m guessing that the supermarket freezer cabinet would almost be a relief.
Wonder Years 