Staying warm . . . at the barn.

I can't say much about staying warm in the northern climates. I know
New Hampshire requires horses to have access to a barn during the winter.
http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Insurance+coverage+denial+leaves+horses+homeless&articleId=df81393e-8f13-4174-8419-eff5900bcbad
It does get cold here in the foothills of the Appalachians, although
we usually get frost instead of snow. A typical winter day can be
30's-40's in the morning, to the upper 50's and 60's in the afternoon.
The air is almost always moist. I swear that the same temperature
feels colder here (with the moist air) than the same temps in NH.

On to my critters, 3 of my 4 dawgs are quite furry and don't mind
the cold. We still bring them in at night. It's hard for us and our
neighbors to sleep when they howl with the coyotes.

The cats, all 3 of them, come in when it's frosty. The Princess Kitty
gets quite annoyed at the invasion and hisses her displeasure. I'll
put them out to get a respite from cat-box-duty, but they sneak back
in at every opportunity.

The sheep grow long wool coats that are about 3-4 inches long, and
thick with lanolin. We've provided the girls with a barnstall, and
the boys have a sheep tent until another stall is emptied of hay.

The horses' coats get very thick in the winter. Some serious riders
use horse blankets to supress the natural shaggy coat. We provide
our equine with cozy barnstalls to get out of the wind and rain,
but they frequently prefer being out in the elements. Such is the
nature of flight/prey/constant grazers. We let them decide.

The chickens can be prone to frostbite. We keep them put up at night,
and the coop's ceiling is insulated. They are protected from wind
and rain on 3 sides (we can always cover up the front of the coop
with a tarp in case of extreme weather). The chickens like to
cuddle for warmth, I'm also getting 6 more in the near future to
add to the body heat free for all. Two of my hens like to perch on
an old metal hayrack. I'm actually worried about their feet getting
too cold. I'm considering my options.

As for me, I stay warm by bundling up. But I really need some thick
gloves, and muck boots, and longjohns.

Michelle