It's big, it's loud, it's in the chicken barn

That's what DH told me a few nights ago. He came into our room at midnight, wearing his barn clothes, fumbling for his glasses and then told me those awful words, "Something's out in the barn."

He added it was flying around. Not a chicken. Maybe a bat? He and the dog went on out while I threw on coveralls and -- whoa, stuff is flying around. Do I want a rabies-carrying bat in my hair? -- And a parka with a hood. Grabbed a broom and I was armed and dangerous.

The hens were screeching with horror as I went out. I did see a big black shadow against the barn lights.

Way too big to be a bat.

Went inside and saw a great horned owl up in the rafters, alternately dazed by the lights and determined to get us before we got it.

I had never seen one up close, in the wild or in my barn. It flew up into the chicken wire between the rafters and roof and glared down at me. Its eyes were huge, its fluff covered talons were huge and its curved black beak looked wicked, too. As I recall it was either hissing or snapping. Maybe both. It looked big and fluffy in soft brown and gray, but it was mad.

We got it out by turning the barn lights off, then on, holding the dog back and shooing it out with a broom. Then we propped up the sagging wire as best we could.

As near as we could tell, it flew into the lit chicken barn through an open door but could not figure out how to get out. Although the hens were traumatized the owl did not attack any of them.

We talked about it all later. Although one day a year the owl might attack the chickens -- and might never be back since it had a horrible experience with the lights and all -- the rest of the time it's working for us, taking mice and pigeons that steal grain and spread diseases.

I feel privileged to see something so cool in the wild -- not a dusty stuffed specimen at a museum or a listless zoo resident. Just hope it stays out of the barn from now on!