My mom had good luck with cayenne pepper (powdered) to keep squirrels out of her bird feeders. She bought a huge container from Amazon. Chickens can't taste it but squirrels and mice can and it's actually good for your chickens immune system, circulation and nutrient absorption. Some say it's a...
I have 2x4s and 1x6s for roosting and mine prefer the 6" wide ones. It allows their feet to be completely flat and covered in cold weather so there's no frostbitten toes.
I don't know what animals you were seeing. Possums don't hang by their tails except in cartoons. They only climb trees to escape predators. And they are nocturnal ... they don't sleep at night. They sleep during the day in nests or burrows on the ground.
Most definitely! They are the coolest little guys! They are all around where I live and I see them regularly. I, like you, put food scraps out for them rather than putting food in the garbage to go to a landfill. They appreciate it I'm sure! I've never had a problem with them bothering my...
If the main problem is your perception of the asthetics, then ultimately it's just simply up to you. Do what makes you feel happy when you look at it. If it was me though, the higher the better.
Yes, they can be released in unpopulated areas with the landowner's permission. I checked with one of the park rangers who got it approved with the county commision. That is a good point though, for people to check local laws.
I occasionally have possums that come into my run at night to eat chicken feed. Have never had one attack a chicken and I don't leave eggs out. I trap and then release in a 500 acre nature park about 10 miles from me with a lot of resources for wildlife. They usually stay within a 30 acre area...
I've tried a little bit of everything, but my hens prefer plain ol' cardboard boxes with the front cut out and hay inside. When they get too badly soiled, they go in the compost bin and I put out another one.