Twice this week when the Commander has come inside at night after closing up the chicken coop he has discovered the top half of the dutch doors on the ram shed open. There are several ways that this could have happened so we chalked it up to coincidence or mischance.
Last night my son called me after he left for town and reported that he had spotted the rams along the side of the road and was in the process of chasing them towards home. The Commander and I threw on our jackets, grabbed flashlights (it was pitch black outside), and bolted out the door. I grabbed a bucket and filled it with grain while the Commander ran down the driveway in time to see my son and the rams thunder by.
I gave the Commander the bucket and he began to call the "boys" and shook the magic bucket to get their attention. Fortunately they stopped running and my son was able to move them homeward in conjunction with the rams wanting to get to the grain in the bucket. The Commander was able to lead them back to their barn and once they were out of the road Sara picked up the tail end Charlie herding duties. We found the door to the ram shed wide open....how did that happen? Is someone looking in (and freeing) on our rams at night? Was this another accident? How/why did the rams bypass all the grass and shrubs in the yard and make their way down the driveway and into the road? We usually secure the doors with metal fasteners yet the one for the ram door was not in place, accident or mischief?
I'd be pretty suspicious of that. Sounds like for them to get out, someone would have to let them out. And for them to end up on the road instead of in the grass, someone would have to chase them out there.
ReplyDeleteKeep an eye out for anyone lurking around, maybe even set up a camera over near the shed so you can see what is happening.
I assume the latches are on the outside where the rams can't open them themselves, right?
I definitely see animal mischief going on here! Got this tee shirt!! Good luck with stake -out and capture of the culprit! Probably be your least likely...........innocent little face.........!
ReplyDeleteI doubt a coyote or another large predator could be opening them, so I would assume a person. This sort of thing has never happened to me, but I would keep very aware of who/what is getting near the barn. Maybe you can install a movement-triggered light to come on whenever anyone's near.
ReplyDeleteI hope you figure that out soon! We've been fortunate to have great neighbors that call us if our animals are on the loose.
ReplyDeleteI would guess it is animal mischief. Millie used to let my peafowl out. Raccoons can open some latches. Good luck figuring it out.
ReplyDeleteKK - We have a latch release wire inside the shed because the Commander got locked inside last winter when it was 18 below. That said it would be hard but not impossible for a ram to release it.
ReplyDeleteRain - Nothing since that night...strange.
Autumn - I think you are correct about the predators. A motion light may be the answer.
Stone - It really was a miracle that my son saw thing in the darkness.
Teresa - I'm thinking it was the Commander or the rams themselves.
hey baby - heh heh heh.. i have the same wire release. i have stood there trapped inside myself. ha!
ReplyDeleteanyway - yep come on by FB i'm Ohio Farmgirl
*hugs*
:-)
What a mystery! Didja solve it?
ReplyDelete