Once again we are having chicken predator problems. We lost 2 over the weekend. Most likely something small (mink, etc) given it got past the electric wire, into the coop, killed two and ate some of one. Leaving no prints. This is a pretty common occurrence really. So you build new fences, tighten things up, add electric, use cameras, and set traps with the carcass that remain.
The first night I caught nothing. Last night I caught a skunk. Now, given it didn't smell like skunk near the coop the prior day, and believing that there were no skunk sized holes i didn't figure this was the culprit. I decided to let the skunk go, he was just in the wrong spot at the wrong time, and doing what he normally does as a meta-predator. Skunks are good at cleaning up rotten stuff, even though they can cause trouble they are mostly beneficial.
But how to remove the little dude from the trap? I got a line attached to the trap door so I could pull it open, and can manipulate the catches with bamboo sticks, but he is still pretty upset and staring at me doing a ground pounding little stomp, so I'm a bit concerned. I think he needs to be covered with a tarp to calm down.
I went to the barn and retrieved a chunk of old ground cover plastic. Perfect...black, it should make a little cave over the trap and the guy can get out of there once the door is open. As I'm about the toss the cover over the cage, he turns his backside toward me and I'm screwed.
You know these scenes in science fiction movies where the character dodges bullets and what not. Think "The Matrix". I swear I did that. I leapt away from that guy in full horizontal, only to see in very slow motion a glop of yellow waxy sticky stuff settle on the bottom of my glasses. Followed by a wad on my lip. Dudes name is now "MutherF**cker". Little droplets of more liquid stuff speckle my jacket. I'm trying to deactivate my taste buds but the gunk is creeping through, as i head for the creek, fortunately flowing well, and stuff my head in it.
Kind of relieved from the head washing i head back over put the tarp on the cage with the bamboo sticks. Get the door open and he swaggers off. I flip him the bird, he flips one back at me. Then it's off to the shower with the big bottle of Technu.
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