Andrew in the Snow

Even though they have a barn to house them, some of my animals like to sleep outside under the stars. I completely understand, so I leave the East End of the barn open. It's colder for everyone but also leaves them a way to get out in case of (dare I say it) fire. The sheep are in full coat and have five or six inches of wool on them, and the goats have about three of mohair, enough to give them some protection. The llamas don't seem to mind any kind of weather with that marvelous hollow fiber of theirs. My bunnies, ofcourse, are always warm under their angora coats. This morning I found Andrew, outside and covered with snow. He was totally comfortable, chewing his cud, with snowflakes falling all over him. I ran back in the barn for my camera and here he is.

I wanted to call the shearer and have the flock shorn, but Matt said an emphatic NO!!! Many shepherds shear before lambing, which makes sense. The wool is not soaked with birth fluids, the lambs can find the teats, the sheep tend to come inside to have the lambs instead of out in the snow, etc. BUT it has GOT to be a shock for them. (And I don't want to have to find another husband at my age.)