The one time you miss a door to a coop you will know what predators you have running around at night.
This was the scene this morning where a broody Pigie, white bantam cochin, was setting on an empty nest in the Bantam Cochin Coop.
click for full size pictures
About 3 am Mom turned my bedroom light on and woke me up for an unbelievably deep sleep.
What I was told: A few minutes before Mom was awakened by a screaming hen. On the way out she yelled at me. Once outside she yelled again. She got to the screaming that was coming from the bantam cochin coop. With the flashlight she saw a HUGE possom on top of Pigie in her nest. The possum turned with a mouth full of feathers and hissed. Mom looked back towards the house and yelled at Dad to grab my gun, Ruger 10/22 loaded and ready is in reach just before you go out the backdoor. When she turned back the possum had went the back of the house and Pigie was laying outside the nest on the floor. Dad got there in a panic and had trouble figuring out how to take the safety off in the dark. He pointed and pulled the trigger. Shot the possum through the head with a 22 hollow point. Mom grabbed up Pigie and started back towards the house, Dad shot the possum again. Mom and Dad both thought something was wrong with me. I was fine, just asleep. I don't sleep and it was really odd for me not to be out the door first. For the first time in 3 days I had finally gone to sleep about an hour before and went down deep. The Cochin coop is about 30 yards from my open window, but none of this woke me up. Not my screaming hen, not Mom yelling, and not even a 22 going off twice.
What I witnesed: I awoke to see mom standing there with a white mass of feathers. I was so far into a deep sleep that it took a couple minutes for everything to register. Pigie was in shock, but had no visible injuries. Just alot of missing feathers. Being a loose feathered cochin is what kept her safe long enough to be rescued. The possum got nothing but feathers for its last meal. Being in shock Pigie would not stand or use her legs. She just kept trying to go to sleep. I kept her awake for about an hour. Mom got a carrier ready for her to stay in the house. I put her in and let her go to sleep. Early this morning I got her out to make sure her legs worked. She walked around and complained so I put her back in. I kept her dark till 9:30. She was doing well so she went back out after a mealworm treat. I took her to her Lot. She got some water and went into the coop. She was favoring her left side, but otherwised seemed fine. I sat her out several times today to make sure she was back to eating. By this evening the limp was gone and she seems back to normal. Even this didn't break her from being broody.
I made 100% sure that the coops were closed tonight. One close call is enough.
Matt
BTW: the livetraps are set again.
This was the scene this morning where a broody Pigie, white bantam cochin, was setting on an empty nest in the Bantam Cochin Coop.
click for full size pictures
About 3 am Mom turned my bedroom light on and woke me up for an unbelievably deep sleep.
What I was told: A few minutes before Mom was awakened by a screaming hen. On the way out she yelled at me. Once outside she yelled again. She got to the screaming that was coming from the bantam cochin coop. With the flashlight she saw a HUGE possom on top of Pigie in her nest. The possum turned with a mouth full of feathers and hissed. Mom looked back towards the house and yelled at Dad to grab my gun, Ruger 10/22 loaded and ready is in reach just before you go out the backdoor. When she turned back the possum had went the back of the house and Pigie was laying outside the nest on the floor. Dad got there in a panic and had trouble figuring out how to take the safety off in the dark. He pointed and pulled the trigger. Shot the possum through the head with a 22 hollow point. Mom grabbed up Pigie and started back towards the house, Dad shot the possum again. Mom and Dad both thought something was wrong with me. I was fine, just asleep. I don't sleep and it was really odd for me not to be out the door first. For the first time in 3 days I had finally gone to sleep about an hour before and went down deep. The Cochin coop is about 30 yards from my open window, but none of this woke me up. Not my screaming hen, not Mom yelling, and not even a 22 going off twice.
What I witnesed: I awoke to see mom standing there with a white mass of feathers. I was so far into a deep sleep that it took a couple minutes for everything to register. Pigie was in shock, but had no visible injuries. Just alot of missing feathers. Being a loose feathered cochin is what kept her safe long enough to be rescued. The possum got nothing but feathers for its last meal. Being in shock Pigie would not stand or use her legs. She just kept trying to go to sleep. I kept her awake for about an hour. Mom got a carrier ready for her to stay in the house. I put her in and let her go to sleep. Early this morning I got her out to make sure her legs worked. She walked around and complained so I put her back in. I kept her dark till 9:30. She was doing well so she went back out after a mealworm treat. I took her to her Lot. She got some water and went into the coop. She was favoring her left side, but otherwised seemed fine. I sat her out several times today to make sure she was back to eating. By this evening the limp was gone and she seems back to normal. Even this didn't break her from being broody.
I made 100% sure that the coops were closed tonight. One close call is enough.
Matt
BTW: the livetraps are set again.
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