We have been seeing a Possum wandering around the back yard for a few weeks now while we sit out on the patio in the evening, right around dusk. Never thought much of it, since the coop was always closed up by then.
Tonight, we were sitting out there a little earlier and saw the top of something walking through the drainage ditch, towards the coop. At first the wife said Skunk, I said nah, it's that Possum. Then he emerged from the ditch and I was right.
He made his way to the coop and circled around it. The chickens were still out and they were just staring at him. After he circled the coop, he just walked right under the fencing, like he had done it many times before.
It's been a long cold winter and I haven't looked to closely at the run and never knew there was a security breech.
Anyway, the Possum is in the run and we ran over there immediately, yelling at the Possum and trying to give him one last chance to leave. He just stood there, frozen, as Possums do.
The Chickens were standing on the other side of the run, staring at him, as if it was no big deal. Our Chickens are very fat and lazy, so this was no surprise.
So I said Ok, that's it, I gave him a chance. I went in the house and got the 10/22, came back out and dispatched him, forthwith. The Chickens then went over and looked at him, pecked him a few times and walked up the ramp and went to bed.
We closed the coop door (it closes from outside the run) and scooped him up with a shovel. Carried him up to the woods and tossed him. The Coyotes will eat well tonight.
Check your runs after this long hard winter, never know what you'll find.
Tonight, we were sitting out there a little earlier and saw the top of something walking through the drainage ditch, towards the coop. At first the wife said Skunk, I said nah, it's that Possum. Then he emerged from the ditch and I was right.
He made his way to the coop and circled around it. The chickens were still out and they were just staring at him. After he circled the coop, he just walked right under the fencing, like he had done it many times before.
It's been a long cold winter and I haven't looked to closely at the run and never knew there was a security breech.
Anyway, the Possum is in the run and we ran over there immediately, yelling at the Possum and trying to give him one last chance to leave. He just stood there, frozen, as Possums do.
The Chickens were standing on the other side of the run, staring at him, as if it was no big deal. Our Chickens are very fat and lazy, so this was no surprise.
So I said Ok, that's it, I gave him a chance. I went in the house and got the 10/22, came back out and dispatched him, forthwith. The Chickens then went over and looked at him, pecked him a few times and walked up the ramp and went to bed.
We closed the coop door (it closes from outside the run) and scooped him up with a shovel. Carried him up to the woods and tossed him. The Coyotes will eat well tonight.
Check your runs after this long hard winter, never know what you'll find.