Choosing the correct winter bedding for the animals is essential if you are to ensure that the animals are kept warm and dry in the cold winter months. The British weather is unpredictable at the best of times, but in January it can be brutal on the smallholding. One day we might have bright sunshine and blue skies, and the next it can be pouring with rain, blowing a gale, dropping a snow bomb or sleeting and hailing, all in sub-zero temperatures. Therefore, we have to think very carefully about how we ensure the animals are kept safe and warm, and, most importantly, we need to plan ahead.

The pigs are probably the least difficult to care for, as, unless they are being fed or need to toilet, they rarely venture outside in the winter months. Their pig arks are robust and draught-free and provide them with a safe place to bed down and sleep their way through the worst of the weather – what a life! I have experimented with sheep fleece for their bedding this year. I was a little dubious at first, as I worried that they might try to eat the wool, which would, of course, be detrimental to their health.

However, I was pleasantly surprised that they didn’t attempt to devour their new bedding and did, in fact, prefer it to the straw and blankets I had given them previously. It was absolutely hilarious to see them pull the straw and blankets out of their arks and drag the fleeces in! Popping my head through the door of the arks, I can see how the little pigs have moulded the fleeces to shape their bodies and made themselves some very cosy little ‘nests’.

I have five pygmy goats who share two decent-sized goat houses that have been erected in an 'L' shape. This gives the goats some shelter from the wind, and, as we have made a deck from wooden packing crates in front of the shelters, the goats have somewhere dry to eat and can enjoy the winter sun when it does show its face. The shelters are lined with heavy-duty stable mats; these provide warmth and also make them much easier to clean out. Thick straw bedding is then placed on top of the mats and topped up regularly to ensure the goat shelters are warm and draught-free.

My sheep have a choice of several shelters to go in if the weather is particularly bad, along with lengthy hedgerows to use for shielding the wind. Although they are a relatively hardy breed originating from Switzerland, my Valais Blacknose sheep are also quite clever, and they do like to utilise the shelters, so, again, these are lined with mats for ease of cleaning, and straw bedding is placed inside to give the sheep somewhere warm and draught-free to rest. They also have access to a large stable which we can house them in during heavy rain when the saturated ground plays havoc on their feet. Valais Blacknose sheep are prone to foot rot, and very wet ground exacerbates the problem.

The donkeys have been enjoying the benefit of a warm stable for some months now. As soon as the weather begins to get colder and wetter in the autumn, I bring the donkeys inside on an evening. Their coats are not waterproof, and as such, extra care needs to be taken to ensure they don’t get wet. Although they do have field shelters to escape the odd rain shower during the day, a warm, dry stable with deep bedding is essential for them to get a good night’s rest. Their stable is large and roomy and provides plenty of space for them to move around, lie down, feed and play. Stable mats cover the majority of the stable floor, and I use shavings in the areas where they toilet and deep straw bedding in the areas where they rest. Surprisingly they do ‘toilet’ in the same area, and this makes mucking out much easier.

Although my two miniature Shetland ponies would like to be outdoors all year round, they too are stabled at night during the winter months. This is for my peace of mind as well as for their comfort and protection. Like the donkeys, they have plenty of room to move around along with access to a hardstanding directly outside their stable. Unlike the donkeys, though, I do not provide straw bedding for the ponies. Both my Shetlands have been prone to laminitis; therefore, giving them straw bedding just adds to the risk, as they will inevitably eat the straw! Instead, I lay a nice thick layer of shavings on top of the stable mats to absorb any urine and to ensure they have a comfortable place to lie down.

Finally, the chickens have to be catered for. Unlike the rest of the animals, they don’t need to be told when it’s bedtime, as they take themselves back to their coop when the sun goes down. I only have three chickens at the moment. Whilst there has been some uncertainty about the laws surrounding bird flu, I have held off adding to my flock. However, now that we know that poultry owners with less than 50 birds no longer need to shut their chickens in, I am happy to get some more. However, I think it is better to wait until spring when the weather starts improving before doing this, and so, for now, I just have three to keep warm and comfortable. My chickens have a sizeable coop with nesting boxes lined with hay.



You can find Allison on Instagram countryliving_writer or visit her website here