December 17, 2010: Indestructible Possums

December 17, 2010
Thursday, 1:55pm

Ran out the door last night to brave the rainy, sleety mess and to run some errands.  Much to my surprise, a small opossum ran off under my car.  He was right next to the steps when I came out.  I couldn't figure out what on earth he was doing there?  There was no food source.....  He looked very much like the one who was on top of the coop about a week or so ago, rather small with long dark hairs versus some that are usually more white/gray.

I also noticed strange tracks in the snow in the driveway, I'll have to look them up.  Some might be rabbit tracks, some probably the possum, some cat, some dog....  One set was in a triangle shape.

As for the first visit from the possum - I don't know why, but I had a strange feeling one night and thought something might be out at the coop.  I opened the door and heard "something" running off through the leaves, it sounded big enough to be a fox or larger.  There is a hole in the neighbors fence in the back which he has not patched and it allows several things to come in, like the border collie I found barking at my chickens one morning....

I shined my flashlight over towards the coop to make sure all was okay, when lo and behold, there was a possum on top of the coop.  Out I stomped toward the coop, cane in hand, shaking it at him and yelling.  All he did was climb the nearest small tree and the closer I got, the farther he climbed to the very tip of the smallest, most unstable branch in the tree.  I tried shaking him out, but he wrapped his tail around the branch and wasn't budging.  "Alright then" I yelled, "I'll fix you!"  I went and turned on the water hose full blast and began spraying him.  The chickens probably thought I had lost my mind.  I thought he'd never let go and was completely drenched in the frigid weather.  He finally figured out it was one heck of a rain storm and he let go, bounced off the metal roof of the coop and into the bushes and off he ran.  I have to admit, it was kind of comical and looked like it could have been in a cartoon.  I wondered if he would die of exposure, but apparently not, because he was at my front steps last night.

I dread the thought of taking more drastic steps, seems cruel, but if he ever gets into the coop and kills my chickens, that will be even worse.  He now knows where they are so he will probably be a frequent visitor, unless anyone has any good ideas on how to get rid of him????

Hawkeye had laid a nice light green egg this morning when I went out to give them some feed and  Farrah was sitting in the nest.  Around noon, I went back out and brought them some spinach greens and some old whole wheat bread.  Farrah laid, hopped out and devoured the spinach, along with the others.  Her egg today was huge and heavy and olive green.  I thought Ameracauna's didn't lay olive green eggs but tended more towards light green or blue????  She looks like your standard Ameracauna with the chubby face, etc.

Farrah's newest thing is to try and follow me out of the run.  She is probably seeing that the "grass is greener on the other side!"