Goldie, as pictured, decided from day one that she did not want to lay her eggs in the prescribed nest box or even somewhere in the run. She decided another more suitable location in my garden was a better spot. If she happens to be IN the fenced run, she will fly over the run's 8foot fence (I don't have netting yet) into my adjacent garden where she will lay and sit on her eggs. She has actually been roaming outside of the run now for several weeks. I leave her overnight outside. During weekends, I will let the other birds join her in the garden and then when it's time to go back into their coop, she will usually follow. So 1/2 the week, she will actually be back in the coop/run while the other days she literally flies the coop and roams and sleeps in my garden. I knew this would be a problem as there are various sorts of critters around here such as raccoons and coyote.
Two nights ago I heard a loud chicken squawk around midnight. I turned on the lights and saw goldie roaming around the garden. I went outside and let her back into the run/coop. I didn't think anything was strange at the time so I decided since I was out there to go collect the one or two eggs from her nest. Fortunately I was carrying my camera with me and caught my little friend the opossum in the act of eating goldie's eggs. This thing was FEARLESS. I was not more than 5 feet away with a flashlight pointing into its face and it just went on its merry way consuming the delicious egg. I am guessing that if it wasn't for the egg, that Goldie may have been the meal of the opossum. Last night I came back and he returned. I need to figure out how to get rid of him as I can't guarantee that goldie won't fly the coop/run again.
Tonight I came home after work and checked the coop and goldie was in there. So I think she has learned her lesson as it must have scared the heck outta her.
Here is the opossum at her nest area. Based on all those feathers he must have jumped on her and caught her but stopped chasing her when he saw the eggs. Goldie is alive and well and looks the same, minus all her tail feathers.
Here's a really big picture showing closeup what this critter looked like:
http://www.screencast.com/users/joe128pack/folders/Jing/media/1ff6c583-bc0c-463a-9bc8-4e40b6252b00
Two nights ago I heard a loud chicken squawk around midnight. I turned on the lights and saw goldie roaming around the garden. I went outside and let her back into the run/coop. I didn't think anything was strange at the time so I decided since I was out there to go collect the one or two eggs from her nest. Fortunately I was carrying my camera with me and caught my little friend the opossum in the act of eating goldie's eggs. This thing was FEARLESS. I was not more than 5 feet away with a flashlight pointing into its face and it just went on its merry way consuming the delicious egg. I am guessing that if it wasn't for the egg, that Goldie may have been the meal of the opossum. Last night I came back and he returned. I need to figure out how to get rid of him as I can't guarantee that goldie won't fly the coop/run again.
Tonight I came home after work and checked the coop and goldie was in there. So I think she has learned her lesson as it must have scared the heck outta her.
Here is the opossum at her nest area. Based on all those feathers he must have jumped on her and caught her but stopped chasing her when he saw the eggs. Goldie is alive and well and looks the same, minus all her tail feathers.
Here's a really big picture showing closeup what this critter looked like:
http://www.screencast.com/users/joe128pack/folders/Jing/media/1ff6c583-bc0c-463a-9bc8-4e40b6252b00
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