For the last two nights in a row, I’ve been awoken to the sounds of a shrill, screeching animal lurking somewhere in the hinterlands of our property.
I don’t know what kind of animal it is though its screams sound like a baby being stabbed to death, but I can only guess the animal is a wannabe chicken killer: a raccoon, maybe….a badger? I have a feeling it stalks the perimeter of the electric fence around the Hen Hut, screaming in frustration, or climbing all over the new chicken tractors, trying to figure out a way to get in to maul the 50 baby chicks.
Both nights, our border collie Cowboy and I were awakened by the predator’s cries at the exact same time. We both leapt out of bed at once. I threw on my chicken boots, grabbed a flashlight and threw open the back door. Cowboy tore off barking into the night, searching for the trespasser, and I ran as quickly as my pregnant belly would allow me.
(Jake and Sunny, meanwhile, slept peacefully.)
Cowboy and I ran up to the Hen Hut. The predator had vanished. Cowboy tried to sniff out the intruder while I checked on the birds. All of them were accounted for. The electric fence worked. I checked in on the chicks. They too were well, if a bit agitated-looking.
When it was clear the predator had disappeared, Cowboy and I ambled back to the house for bed. Though I could tell Cowboy was a bit disappointed he didn’t get to wage bloody combat with another animal.
Another night maybe.
In the meantime, crisis averted. And Jake and Sunny hardly stirred.
All original content © 2012 by Jessie Knadler
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Where my parents live up in Maine on a lake, things that sound like babies screaming are usually fishers. They’re nasty, sort of like a ferret/wolverine cross. Good luck.
Where I’m from (down south), an animal that sounds like a baby/woman being killed is usually a bobcat! Good luck.
Yikes! How brave of cowboy!!
At my last house, far out of town, I’d ocasionally hear what sounded like woman screaming bloody murder. It turned out to be mountain lion. Made me think twice about walking around in the dark.
Fisher or Mountain Lion. Cowboy would be likely safe from a 15lb-or so Fisher (also called Fisher Cat, member of the weasel family), but not a lion. Fishers have a big territory and patrol it typically every 2-3 weeks, so it may go away for a while but be wary.
Without a doubt dogs are the most brave, loyal and noble beings around. I really wish I could be more like mine sometimes.
I remember you noting your tractors have an open bottom? Down here you have to put chicken wire on the bottoms too because some predators dig under them. (raccoons, for one) Not sure if your electric fence makes that impossible or not, just wanted to mention it.
Hi Lorigami: Thanks for the head’s up. I’ll keep a lookout for scratch marks around the perimeter of the tractor to make sure no predators are trying to dig! Yikes!
YOU rule! I can just imagine you in your chicken boots….a crying baby in the middle of the night is going to feel easy as pie with this kind of training.
We had a fisher cat around for awhile and the first few times I heard it, it totally scared me. It sounded like someone was being chased by an ax murderer. (oh, look, she is running for her life through the woods in high heels and, oopps!, she fell and hurt her ankle).
http://soundbible.com/1075-Fisher-Cat.html
It could be a female fox. Their cry can sound like a hoarse woman screaming in the distance.
Kitty
Fox, fisher cat, bobcat…..the list of predators keeps growing.
This is too funny. I live out in the middle of nowhere and I completely understand hearing strange animal noises in the middle of the night. I can just picture you pregnant and in rubber boots checking on those chicks. I have really enjoyed reading your blog. I even force my husband to read some of the posts. I am thinking about having chickens to process in the future. I am just not sure I will be able to raise them then process them. I love my hens that I raised this year.