2018, My first real winter in Slovenia. A lot of extra work at the duckfarm and breeding season with eggs is also late this year. My last two winters here, south of the alps, have been very kind to me with just a few weeks of snow. But this year, after a warm nice January the winter came with minus 10-20 degrees and in some places on the farm 150 cm of snow and any predator can just walk in over the fence.
There is many tracks over the fence from this one. It might be a wild cat? All animals have hard to find food during this time with these amount of snow, so they look for easy pray closer to people and farms.
Many grey days in this village in winter time, just a few km to any direction from the farm and there is less snow and warmer temperatures.
The ropes on top of the fence at the ducklings place had to go down. It is there to protect the youngest from hawks and other predators from the air. But i will build a new place for the small ones as soon the snow is gone.
Wherever I parked my car it seems to be in the wrong place, the space on the farm has reduced dramaticly because of the guy who shall keep the snow away, so it is possible to both work and turn the car around. He tried to save 2 minutes when the first snow came and when the snow continued to fall he was trapped in his own shit. I lived half my life in winter with both colder and more snow, but this is the most stupid way of handle the snow that I ever seen.
Then there where the sunny and beautiful days. Sun is shining and a few minus degrees. Skiing in the forest was one of the things i did a lot in Jämtland and i missed my equipment during those nice days.
Even during the coldest days the water to the duck ponds where running. The water comes in a pipe from a creek in the forest and another pipe is from the barn. To keep the way open from barn to pond was hard excercise and not many ducks went down.
They prefere to sit outside the barn waiting for better times and of course the next dinner. When there is no greens to find for them, then I give them extra meal once a day.
In the evenings the Muscovy ducks fly up to their natural night habitat, in a tree or something else that give them a good view and protection. But i want them inside during the night and they usually do as i tell them.
