This morning as I was sitting drinking my last cup of coffee before I was off to work I noticed that my hens (who were free ranging) had the "look". Ya know heads held high, tails erect, wings in a downward direction, the fight or flight look. They were all looking up into the pecan tree. My first thought was that pesky cooper's hawk that picks off birds from the bird feeder was hanging around again. I think he just loves to pester my girls.
I went out to investigate and stood there looking skyward and saw nothing but the chickens were still on full alert. Then I saw movement in the fork of the tree about 7 feet off the ground. A coon. My first thought was you devil attempting a daytime attact. As I approached this thing did not move, looked me straight on and showed absolutely no fear, he did not climb up the tree or climb down and run. I knew it was sick and probably with distemper. We had animal control take two away from my nieghborhood last year and both tested positive for distemper.
I have two dogs (they have all their vaccinations) but I knew if my dogs got the chance they would attack it. I knew I couldn't take the chance of them getting bit and even though vaccinated catch something which according to my vet is still possible especially from a bite from an infected animal.
So I got the snow shovel and literally pushed the coon from the tree. This whole time my chickens had gathered around and announcing loudly to the world there was chicken eater among them. When the coon it the ground they exploded in all directions. I have a good old fashion broom stick I use to help herd the chickens in when I need to so I took that and gave it a solid hit on the head and dispatched it and for good measure gave it a couple more hits. Although I live on 3/4 of an acre I do live in suburbia and cannot discharge a gun. Fact is the only gun I have is a 20 guage and it simply would have been too loud and I would have been busted and heavily fined if caught. If I had a 22 I would have used that.
My Deleware rooster, Mouch, was the big brave man in front of his hens, he led the group in their attempt to scare it off. The funniest thing though was after I killed it and I was walking back to the house to get trash bags Mouch went in for a flog. He flogged it alright but it was a kind of "fly over" flog. He ran at it, kind of gave it a couple kicks as he flew over, hit the ground and took off running, flapping and ba buking in a big circle back to his hens.
He was brave and true to his species a big chicken all at the same time.
I went out to investigate and stood there looking skyward and saw nothing but the chickens were still on full alert. Then I saw movement in the fork of the tree about 7 feet off the ground. A coon. My first thought was you devil attempting a daytime attact. As I approached this thing did not move, looked me straight on and showed absolutely no fear, he did not climb up the tree or climb down and run. I knew it was sick and probably with distemper. We had animal control take two away from my nieghborhood last year and both tested positive for distemper.
I have two dogs (they have all their vaccinations) but I knew if my dogs got the chance they would attack it. I knew I couldn't take the chance of them getting bit and even though vaccinated catch something which according to my vet is still possible especially from a bite from an infected animal.
So I got the snow shovel and literally pushed the coon from the tree. This whole time my chickens had gathered around and announcing loudly to the world there was chicken eater among them. When the coon it the ground they exploded in all directions. I have a good old fashion broom stick I use to help herd the chickens in when I need to so I took that and gave it a solid hit on the head and dispatched it and for good measure gave it a couple more hits. Although I live on 3/4 of an acre I do live in suburbia and cannot discharge a gun. Fact is the only gun I have is a 20 guage and it simply would have been too loud and I would have been busted and heavily fined if caught. If I had a 22 I would have used that.
My Deleware rooster, Mouch, was the big brave man in front of his hens, he led the group in their attempt to scare it off. The funniest thing though was after I killed it and I was walking back to the house to get trash bags Mouch went in for a flog. He flogged it alright but it was a kind of "fly over" flog. He ran at it, kind of gave it a couple kicks as he flew over, hit the ground and took off running, flapping and ba buking in a big circle back to his hens.
