Solving problems
It's been kind of slow lately, what with getting sacked from work I actually have time to do things. Still, just when I thought it was starting out another slow week, things happened.
Recently I fired up the wood furnace but managed to smoke up the entire house. I called the expert on wood furnace heating (Dad) and he said "did you check to see if you have bird nests in your chimney?" Duhhhh...
I opened up the flue today, prepared for a very messy job only to have 3' of connected bird nest come out in one string, complete with a dead bird and a wee skeleton of a baby bird at the top. I think my early season fire cooked all of them. Anyway, check out the nest.
I was aiming to line up the nest to get a good shot with the bird but Cooper had already gotten a whiff of bird and was lurking nearby. I no sooner got the main part of the next propped up when he shot in, grabbed the bird and ran off, throwing the bird in the air as he ran.
If that wasn't exciting enough, I decided to check on the chickens. A new chicken is arriving tomorrow ("Kiev") and I needed to put the dog crate in the coop so she'd be protected her first few days. I walked in the coop and all three birds were on their perches, which is unusual for during the day. I decided to check for eggs and you'll never guess what I found.
I've been suspicious that something has been in or around the coop lately so I've been tightening down the doors. Still, I didn't expect to see this when I looked in the nesting box.
FYI...that's not a chicken in the roosting box. I tried to get the lil guy out but wasn't sure how to do it. I'm fresh out of falcon gloves so I gave the dogs a try. Gabby sniffed him out right away but it was Cooper who got after the possum. Even with all the barking and me trying to poke it into a bucket we couldn't get him to get out of the box.
I did the next best thing...came inside and blogged about it. I'm taking ideas...how do I get this guy out of there w/o getting bit??
At least I know why there have been no eggs for a week and a lot of chicken feathers in the coop!
Gotta go..the horses haven't adjusted to the time change and are hollering for dinner.
b
6 comments:
Falcon gloves for Mr Razor Teeth? You need CHAIN MAIL!!! And a have-a-heart trap in which you can safely carry him far awaaaaaaaaaaaaay. We take ours to a local park - so the houses nearby can show the children what a "real possum looks like". But you'd have to go MILES now that Mr Possum knows where the eggs are hiding. Too bad you cant just put him in Joe's Barn - but he'd be back in ten quick minutes.
Looks like all is about as usual in the Anderson Zoo....oh! I mean menagerie. And Cooper hasn't changed a single hair.
I don't think my nerves will take another day of pollyticks. The beer drawer is fully stocked for tomorry , but I hope for lots of reasons that they put me out of my misery early.
Once again they say Florida may determine the election - Oh NOOOOO! Not the land of the hanging chad! I voted by mail last week. I only hope the people counting are honest since I am not there to watch.
Good luck to all of us!
I got the possum out. I used a piece of wood and my shrub shears to flop him out on the floor, then I put the bucket on top and used a shovel as a lid. I was so happy to get him out that I didn't realize what I was going to do with him!! I decided to put him in the burn barrel (out of Cooper's way) and he seemed fine in there. ONly now I can't have a fire til he leaves. doh.
GOBAMA!
He'll climb out as soon as a new egg is laid. He needs his protein, ya know!
my my! such excitement on Muller road! Makes the election results pale in comparison!
Definitely gotta get a screen for the top of that chimney,, Hon
Lots of people think that possums are good eatin' Put a sign on the road, "free eatin' possums here"!
Have a great "yes we can day"!
Free Eatin' Possums?? Baahahahahah. THat cracked me up, Dad!
Yes..need a screen up on the chimney. I'll have to rent a 50 foot ladder though...or bribe the fire department to let me borrow theirs, or ???
Great Idee, Rod!
OR you can think about warm winter coats!
You could use those cute little chicken roosts as breeding boxes, find a few more possums to make families together and in no time you'll have enough pelts for a jacket!
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