Farm 2, Predators 0.

Another one bites the dust!  Our eggs had been vanishing at night for the last several weeks.  I keep saying I am going to fix the automatic chicken door, but no chickens are dying so it keeps getting pushed back.  The solution is to just collect eggs every day, but since I have delegated this task to the teenager that doesn't happen a couple times a week.  I thought it was one of the cats since none of the chickens were disappearing and we could still get a few eggs.  Honestly, the chicken door priority is rising. 

Last night when I got home, Sarah was still at play practice.  I was just headed out the back door when I saw headlights pull into the driveway.  We had discussed her going out to get eggs that morning so I went and sat down.  When she came inside I reminded her she needed to get eggs.  She headed out with a small flashlight.  A couple of minutes later she runs back into the house saying that there is a "huge" possum in the chicken coop eating eggs in the nest box. 

Critical decision time, do you take the Walther P22 with laser sights, a known chicken defender, or do you go with the pistol grip 20 g shotgun?  You cannot use the shotgun in the coop unless you want a huge hole in the floor, but with a moving target at night the shotgun is ideal!  I went for the shotgun and a large flashlight.  Sure enough there was a "HUGE" possum in the chicken coop eating eggs nonchalantly.  It looked at me and kept on eating.  Sarah then informs me that she found it by lifting up the lid on the nest box and it hissing at her from three feet away.  I cannot shoot it in the coop and it is still eating my eggs.  So I have Sarah run back to the house for the Walther while I stand guard back from the door ready to deliver some country justice at any moment.  Chicken rustlers beware!  She comes back with the Walther and I deliver two rounds to the head from fifteen feet away while it is still in the nest box.  No more possum.  It is a dog eat dog world out here folks and if you want any eggs I have to ensure the chickens are well guarded. 

On a plus note, Zeke is getting better.  He still limps but is using his back leg more every day.