In the late winter/early spring when we have mild days, we turn off the heat and open our windows. It's glorious to have all that fresh air blowing through the house.
Last night, we went to sleep listening to a light rain pattering and a soft sool breeze stirring. It was so peaceful.
In the pre-dawn hour of 4:45 we sat bolt upright in bed with our hair standing on end. There was a loud screetching noise like - eeeh aaack!!! coming from down below our barn.
Most of our property on the back side is hill and deep hollow.It is not fenced but would be great for our goats. Unfortunately, the coyotes have trails all throughout the hollow. There are many spring nights we are awakened to the yipping of coyote pups.
I digress. I jumped out of bed and started getting dressed. Scott asked what I was doing. I said " I am going to make sure whatever that is is not getting my chickens!"
Something has gotten in the coop and massacred my chickens in the past. Whatever it is delights in killing as many as possible and eating the heads. Yuck! We try to remember to close them up in the henhouse but sometimes it just doesn't happen for various reasons.
When S realized I was going, he jumped up too. I grabbed a flashlight and took off running through the misty rain.
The goats looked at us like we were crazy. The chickens were seemingly unconcerned still perched in the henhouse. My sister's dogs were down there growling and barking but we never saw anything. Whew! Whatever it was got scared and went away.
As soon as I saw my brother-in-law ( big hunter) next door leave for work I called him to get his opinion. Our noise maker was only an owl looking for a mate.
As long as he was looking for a mate and not an accomplice, I will forgive his disturbance this time.