Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[RaZ]

One thing I cannot understand is how people expect to live in rural and wilderness areas and keep chickens without any adequate protective housing. I love looking out my window and seeing a fox, Bobcat, or Hawk. But my pen, after a lot of hard work, is close to being impregnable. I have the luxury of being able to enjoy wildlife without feeling that I have to (pointlessly) murder every animal that comes close to my chickens.

I would have really loved to see those little possums.

People living in the city often have wildlife in their yards but don't often see it. And if they have chickens don't always have secure coops / runs.

I keep working on my rural run and country coop to improve my security. There can always be improvements. I think I can stop just shy of Bear-proof.

 

[RaZ]

John, all the best for your surgery adventure. X2

I have to say that it's hard to find opossums of any age 'cute'. Randy, I'm also glad you weren't bitten! Don't risk it again...
Got home from work late, and I'm tired tonight.
Mary

Oh but they are cute!

 

[Folly's place]

Today the main coop section got cleaned out, and new bedding. the other sections aren't bad, and may just get shavings added instead. Too much snow to use the small tractor and manure spreader, so the stuff just got spread under the trees.
Who ordered winter this early?!? Not me!
Thursday I'm going to the hospital as support person for a good friend, for her other knee replacement surgery. She's bionic, and I'm electronic (pacemaker). Love modern medicine!!! Those who crave the 'good old days' have no idea...
Mary

 

[1muttsfan]

Ain't that the truth!

 

[RaZ]

She's bionic, and I'm electronic (pacemaker). Love modern medicine!!! Those who crave the 'good old days' have no idea...
Mary

I have a heart valve that came from a cow.
I'm not full of bull...but I have a good start.

 

[aart]

I have a heart valve that came from a cow.
I'm not full of bull...but I have a good start.

Uhhuh, sure.

Wonders was it from a cow/heifer or a bull/steer?
You might be less full of bull now.

Either way, that's kinda crazy....moooooooo!

 

[JanetMarie]

Opened the coop door today and the chickens decided to venture out in the snow covered run. I then ran some errands that took a few hours. I come back and check on the hens. Some were in the coop and the rest were outside. Look in the coop and find the young opossum. It ran outside and disappeared. So I go in the coop and there is another one eating from the feeder...with a hen right next to it. Like 2 pals sharing a lunch break.

It sees me and runs to a corner of the coop. Trapped!
Then it flops over and plays possum like they do. I picked him up and took it outside. Just a small critter, it was curled up in my hand. No hissing, no sign of defense or aggression. It was calm as can be. I pet him for a bit and he just walks away.

I know some people would be freaking out over a predator in the coop. I just enjoyed the encounter with a wild animal. I figure if the hens aren't bothered by these little opossums then I shouldn't be either. Both of them are quite small. They must be this year's litter.
As long as they aren't damaging anything they can stay. I think we can co-exist for the winter.

I used to shoot opossums and regretted it, since I've found there's no good reason for it. I told my husband not to shoot them anymore.

There was one opossum that lived under the chicken shed for around two years, and he never caused any problems. Just wanted shelter and some chicken food.

I named him Smelly because he got sprayed by a skunk.

He used to go in the barn at night and hide from me making him go out. I think he stayed in the barn with the chickens and muscovies overnight one time.

One evening this past summer I was approaching him and he was playing possum, which he never did before around me, and thought it strange. The next day I found him dead.

 

[1muttsfan]

Unfortunately possums can carry Equine Protozoal Encephalopathy (EPM), so they should not be allowed to go inside barns where horses are stabled, or near their food or water sources. Otherwise, they pose little danger, although I would not allow them near chicks. They are also rarely infected with Rabies compared to other animals.

 

[Folly's place]

That's why I'm not a fan! One of my horses had EPM episodes three times during her lifetime. The final episode contributed to her death, and she was unridable for most of her life because of the neurological damage.
Mary

 

[RaZ]

Fresh load of trimmings from my tree trimmer. He was in the area removing a white pine and blue spruce. He dumped 2 loads at my compost heap. The pine aroma is wonderful. The load is soft and light so I dumped 2 scoops in the run. Chickens are having fun digging and scratching about.