What the Cluck?

An unexpected visitor snuck into the coop last night. I heard a hen singing out, and went to investigate. An unfamiliar set of eyes reflected back at me from inside a nesting box. The girls were all crowded together in the opposite corner save Corran (who tried to run out the door when I went in).

I found out the hard way possums don't herd easily. I left the door open to provide an escape. Then I stepped behind the propane tank and banged on the nesting box to scare it out. The sucker hunkered down. I had to lift the nesting box to make it run out only the stupid thing ran into the box next door. I had to rinse, wash, and repeat, and instead of running for the open door the possum cornered itself under the stairs.

I walked outside the coop to keep a barrier between me and the visitor. Again, I left the door open to provide an avenue for the thief to egress. Then I banged on the stairs, poked a rake through the lattice, and the damn interloper wouldn't budge.

I stopped to take a picture or two while deciding my next step. An easy scare wasn't working, I had no trap, it was really cold outside, about to rain, and I wanted the possum gone without getting bit. Four of the hens seemed to forget how to move, so they weren't a problem. Corran stayed still after I threw her into the flock.

I had a pitchfork. I didn't want to kill the possum, but if it refused to leave that was quickly becoming my back up plan. Thankfully, I used some (chicken poop covered) siding to poke the possum from afar until it sprinted out the door.

I cleaned out the broken eggs and chucked anything I thought might be contaminated. Frankly, I wonder if this isn't the first time the possum visited. Carrie normally sleeps with the TV on. She's out on business (a later post), so the house was quiet. That allowed me to hear the clucking (which was more of an egg song than terrified squawking).

I knew exactly how the thief snuck in. I grabbed a shovel once he was gone. The bottom of the door had not been shutting flush. Debris from the chickens rooting around kept falling between the stone barrier and forcing it out. It bothered me, because when I go in the coop I like to shut both latches. However, I don't have much interest in being a full time chicken farmer. Carrie didn't think the gap was big enough for a predator and we let it be. Now that Carrie works at home, she normally takes care of the coop when I'm at work.

I couldn't let it slide now. I inspected the door the next morning to see if the culprit returned to the scene of the crime.

If he did, he didn't get back in.