April 11, 2012

Attempted Murder in Chickenville

This morning there was a murder. It was worse than any horror movie: blood, fangs, claws and

...feathers.

Last night one of these

tried to eat these.


It was not pretty.

Thank God, we have Lovey.

Lovey the Loudmouth came to the rescue. At 12:31am Lovey started bawking, and bawking, and bawking. This is not normal with chickens. They like their sleep as much as I do. They squawk here and there during the day, but NEVER at night. I was immediately awake and thinking about how annoying that sound was. I knew it was Lovey. I woke up the "sleep-through-all-babies-and-chickens-in-need" man next to me. He jumped out of bed, grabbed shorts, shoes and a flashlight - all the necessary items for a major investigation and headed outside to the coop. Lovey kept up the noise the entire time.

True to his hunting nature, my husband came quickly running back in the house, got his pellet gun, and ran back out. I quietly watched all the commotion from our bathroom window where it was warm and safe. I had no idea if the Girls were facing a coyote, an owl, a bear (okay probably not that).

Through the window I saw my handsome, fierce protector of a husband raise and take aim right where the chickens sleep. I was shocked! Maybe one of the Girls was so hurt he needed to put her out of misery? I was confused and worried. The whole time he was out there, Alan talked softly to the hens, keeping them calm. He quickly shot the deadly attacker INSIDE the coop...a crafty possum. That creature had gotten it's way inside the inner sanctum, right underneath the sleeping hens.

Only Lovey had the sense to wake up and cry out the alarm!! Alan made sure the possum was good and dead and not just "playing possum" then hauled it out of the coop, where it lay this morning.

Amazingly not ONE of the chickens was harmed in all of this. The possum had just started it's nightime stalking and Little Lovey woke us in time to save each and everyone of her friends. All the Girls stayed very still when the shots were fired to kill the predator. We are pretty sure this is the same possum that we've caught in our traps before, so he seemed determined to get a juicy fat chicken dinner.

This morning, when I went out to check on everybody Lovey was quietly sitting in the nesting box. She just stared hard at me when I came in.


Little Lovey Loudmouth has been commended for her bravery in apprending the murderous possum with a fresh banana. Love her!

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34 comments:

  1. What kind of scope is on that pellet gun.....

    ...glad you were able to pull off the "one shot, one kill"!

    Be safe!

    Bill

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That husband of mine is a good shot, what can I say?

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  2. Glad that your Girls are safe and unharmed! Maybe Lovey should get an extra treat tomorrow, also?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know, right? She's incredible. Who needs a noisy rooster when you've got a Watch Hen?

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  3. Wow! How dreadful. So glad everyone is safe. How did he get in the coop?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Looks like he chewed through an area in the eves that was covered with plastic. We're gonna have to board it up now that's for sure.

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  4. What an exciting night at the Christian household...

    ReplyDelete
  5. That's why we didn't keep chickens any longer than we did when I was a little girl. I don't know how many we lost to possums and other night creatures in those few years. Then there was me almost sticking my hand right on a black snake eating eggs in the roost when I went to gather eggs one morning; I think that was enough for Momma to decide fresh eggs might not be worth the trouble. Glad the girls are alright!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh my, why didn't you tell me the snake story? I never thought to tell the kids to watch out for snakes. I might have to send Einstein out there to take one on. :)

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  6. Bless Lovey's heart for sounding the alarm!!

    ReplyDelete

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