I Declare War!

Two nights ago I was working, yes working, not playing on the computer, when all the sudden I smelled a foul smell coming in through the window.

"Peee-yew! What is that stench?" I said to anyone who was listening. No one answered me since no one ever listens to me. Tay-tee, my man, didn't even answer me. He was sound asleep on the ledge by the window next to the computer.

My man, Tay-tee, fast asleep.

Sometimes I sleep with my tongue hanging out and slobber on my pillow!

The stench was getting stronger and I was almost certain that a skunk was outside. I got Dan the Man's attention and told him he'd better get his gun and make sure the skunk was not getting into the egg layers chicken coop stealing eggs.

Dan the Man reluctantly got off the couch and went to get his gun. Meanwhile I got the big flashlight. Dan the Man told me just to go outside and see if it was a skunk. I told him I didn't want to go outside without him because I didn't want to scare the skunk away before he was ready to go outside with the gun. Good thing it wasn't a burglary with some crazy prison escapee with a gun, because Dan the Man was as fast as molasses getting his gun, finding the key to the lock, trying to locate the ammunition, putting on his shoes, getting a drink of water....

So needless to say, but the time we made it outside, Dan the Man saw a big old possum going around the side of the house.

Man did that guy stink!

Hey dude... take a shower next time you decide to come around!

I was disappointed that Dan the Man didn't take care of him with his gun, but he didn't.

This morning I had the Farmers' Market in Scottsbluff. I leave the house before the sun even comes up so Dan the Man is in charge of feeding the meat birds (chickens) in the morning when I have the Farmers' Market. He found two of the chickens inside their pen with their heads torn off and one chicken injured so badly that he had to go ahead and put it out of it's misery.

I'm thinking it was the doings of the big ole' stinky possum that was here the other night.

This is only the second time in 5 years that we have ever lost a chicken to a predator.

This means war!

Tonight we are sleeping with all the windows open so I can hear any distress calls from my sweet little chickens.

Dan the Man has the gun loaded and ready.

I am tempted to set up a night watch and to make it mandatory for everyone in the house to take a shift. We even discussed locking the chickens up in their shelters, but that would be a pain.

So right now it is raining lightly and hopefully that will deter Mr. Big Ole' Stinky Possum from coming around tonight.

I only like one kind of Possum.

Guess what kind...

the dead kind.

So wish us luck tonight with our war that we have declared upon the possum.

Here is only kind of possum I like...

Gross old possum I found rotting in the field last winter.