Tractor frustrations

Today it was time to put out another large hay bale for the cattle.  The morning was cold so I plugged my tractor in to warm the engine.  The tractor started, then quit.  I was raising the loader arms with the bale spear when the engine had quit.  When I went to restart the tractor, it wouldn't start.  The same problem I had in the past where it seemed like the engine wasn't getting the diesel. I pushed the button on the fuel pump and it had fuel.  I tried and tried.  The engine was starting to get weaker.  So, I put a battery charger on the battery.

I tried off and on for the rest of the morning and into the afternoon.  A few times it seemed like the engine was starting, but when I released the key, the engine immediately quit.  Hours later the tractor finally started.  Now when I tried to further lift the bale spear the hydraulics weren't working.  Before the tractor initially quit in the morning the hydraulics were working.  Now?  Nope.

I drove the tractor out into the sun.  Hydraulics weren't working for the steering either.  Ok.  I'll wait because maybe the hydraulic oil needs to warm up as it had been some time since I had plugged in the engine heater.  I waited and waited.  No hydraulics.  Last week I had poor hydraulics but that was due to low amount of hydraulic fluid.  Back then I filled the tractor with fluid.  I checked now.  The hydraulic fluid still seemed to be there.  I waited.  And waited.  Then I added a little more fluid as due to some foam I couldn't completely see how high the fluid was. Did some air get into the hydraulic fluid and was causing the foam?  I also turned the steering wheel as the tractor sat there.  Over time it was a little easier to move. Maybe turning the steering wheel would help get air out if that was the problem.  

After an hour of the tractor running the hydraulics finally started to work normally.

I was able to get a large hay bale and take it out to the feeder in the middle pasture in order to feed the cattle.  They were happy to finally get hay.  I had started this process after 10 am and now it was after 3 pm when I finished putting the hay bale out for the cattle.

Speckles, another cow, and three heifer calves were in the south pasture.  Speckles saw me put the hay bale out and she came walking up river to get back to the middle pasture.  After I parked the tractor I saw the other cow had done the same.  The three heifers were standing along the fence watching the cows eat from the hay bale.  So I walked out and opened the gate for them.  Two heifers walked through.  I noticed the cattle needed another salt block so I went to get one.  I figured the other heifer, who saw the gate was open, would walk through when I was gone.  After I returned with the salt block, I closed the gate.  Then I saw the third heifer had walked down the fence line to the west instead of coming through the gate.  It was standing along the fence looking at the cattle eating hay.  So, I had to open a gate and herd the heifer through the gate.

What a day.  So much was wasted.  And, it was sunny for once, the temperature had warmed up, and the snow was melting, so I could have gotten stuff done outside. But I didn't.