Taz Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 emailed Carl, and thought some of you might enjoy this true story. Gods own truth with no BS or stretching the tale. SHMBO said she seen about 30 mice in the chicken coop. Well, I thought This just can't be right. I went out and looked and I think she miss counted. I must of seen 45, and they did not seem too afraid of me. I told the wife she must be feeding the chickens too much. She needs to keep them hungry enough to eat mouse. Then I went to town looking for some steel shot for a 410 broom. Either let the Judge with lasor sights, or a old bolt action 410 to clean house. Nobody seems to carry non lead shot for the 410 brooms. I can't use lead as the chickens would eat it and get lead in them and the eggs we eat. Since I gave my nephew my 20 gauge, I had to settle for 12 gauge broom food, #6 shot size. Of course I couldn't 'sweep' them while they ran up the walls to the ceiling, but got a bit of 'sweeping' in anyhow. At one point, my wife asked, "Did you get him?" Really, 6-8 feet away with a 20 inch broom, rifle sights and has a pattern a little smaller then a dinner plate at that range. All I could say was "I don't see him anymore." I chased one of the little devils around from inside to outside and back for 10 minutes before I could get a clean shot that would not put a hole in the wall, but I finally won the chase. [Y] When I came back to the house, Broom in hand. There was a couple pulling up in the driveway. I should explain that SWMBO runs an Adult Foster care home and these were strangers who were looking for a place for mom to stay. I explained about the mice. Didn't seem to bother em. In fact they want the room for mom. When I came in the house, there was a lady from the state, doing the annual inspection. SWMBO aced it again, perfect score. Talking with the wife later and she said the lady from the state was kinda concerned about the shooting sounding pretty close. Chicken coop is almost 100ft from the house. My wife explained that it was just me cleaning the mice out of the coop. The next day when SWMBO let the chickens out, she didn't see any mice at all. Maybe they moved out, or had heart attacks, though I doubt it. Anyhow I do have more #6 mouse loads just in case. And Yes Carl, The coop is still standing. No extra holes in the walls or roof. All of this is True with no [bs] or stretching the facts. [H] By the way, my broom is a Benelli with pistol grip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beechnut Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 Thought I'd share my broom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted October 22, 2011 Moderators Share Posted October 22, 2011 That's funny John W, we had chickens until a few years ago, and yes there were mice around the coop, FAT little suckers from eating chicken food i guess. When the chickens could catch them they would kill them, and eat them, I never did tell the wife that they did that, she wouldn't have been happy. We finally gave them away when the food got to be more than the amount of eggs we would eat, I do kind of miss them. Do have a old Mossberg 12 ga pump, 3" mag, cut extreamly short with a pistol grip. Better hold on with 2 tight hands with 3" OO buckshot. [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taz Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 That's funny John W, we had chickens until a few years ago, and yes there were mice around the coop, FAT little suckers from eating chicken food i guess. When the chickens could catch them they would kill them, and eat them, I never did tell the wife that they did that, she wouldn't have been happy. We finally gave them away when the food got to be more than the amount of eggs we would eat, I do kind of miss them. Do have a old Mossberg 12 ga pump, 3" mag, cut extreamly short with a pistol grip. Better hold on with 2 tight hands with 3" OO buckshot. So dtel, Do you remeber the breed of chickens you had? I think some more aggresive hens might be helpful. We did have an aggressive Roster that used to attack the wife, she used to have to carry a stick for protection. Our neighbor saved it once when a hawk had it pinned down in her pasture. Beat the Hawk off with a stick. The wife told her to let the Hawk have it, too onery! Wife puts the older chickens on a retirement plan. As long as they live she keeps them. The chickens get a lot of free range, but usually keep to a couple acres of the property. They have been known to range over to the neighbors from time to time, but nobody complains. When theres extra eggs we share. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted October 23, 2011 Moderators Share Posted October 23, 2011 It was Rhode Island Reds, about 12 of them, and for about a year a RIR rooster which we gave away to a neighbor because he would crow starting at about 3:30 in the morning. We gave away eggs to anyone that would take them we were getting so many. There coop had a section fenced in(with a fenced top) about 8' x 12' where they could go outside, but we let them loose almost every day. They would roam around eating bugs and who know what else, that's all they do, look for something to eat. [] I did make it easy to keep up with, with a automatic waterer on a garden hose with a float to keep it full and a hanging feeder you could put about 25# of food in at a time. We ended up not letting them out so much because they would eventialy end up walking over to the front porch and patio, and you know chickens, they poop everywhere they walk so that had to stop. [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted October 23, 2011 Moderators Share Posted October 23, 2011 We did have an aggressive Roster that used to attack the wife, she used to have to carry a stick for protection. The rooster we had would try to attack if it thought you were going after it's hens, I would do the same thing with a stick a few times when it would come after me, there tough and hard headed. Once my daughter Jessica who was about 12 at the time went to check eggs and the roster chased her all the way back in the house and stood outside the front door waiting for her to come out, probably because she ran ? It was really funny because Jessica thought she was tough at the time and that rooster tried to kick her butt. Although I have to say if they try to attack you better pay attention, he had about 3" spurs and do there best to stick you with them and it takes alot to get them to back down, your not going to scare them easily. [] This is a pic of the rooster when he was young, he put on some weight and got bigger, and an attitude when he thought you were messing with his females. I can understand, with 12 hens he had it made and didn't want to lose any of them. [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Thought I'd share my broom Sweeeeet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 I got a chuckle reading that for the second time John. Killin mice with a broomstick[]. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.