6 opossums and now 2 foxes. Any wildlife experts here?

[Lyranonamous]

We just trapped our 6th opossum near the compost bin. I thought we could breathe now, but I saw a red fox run through our yard around 7:30 am. When I followed the tracks I found one set and my husband found another set. So there have been at least 2 times the fox has been on our land. The tracks my husband found looked like 2 foxes that merged paths near our garage and then went past our fence and coop. Then down the road I again saw what looked like 2 fox tracks coming together and then traveling side by side. Of course it's possible that one set of tracks went in and another was the same fox coming out (following his own path in the snow)

Does anyone know why we could possibly have so many opossums and if foxes travel in pairs? I need to understand more about both of these creatures to protect my girls.

 

[sourland]

The opossums are very likely feeding at the compost bin or are attracted to smells from the bin. Fox do travel in pairs. Many times while tracking a fox it suddenly turns into two sets of tracks as they will even step in one another's foot prints at time. Electric fencing is a great deterrent.

 

[LittleMissCountry]

We also have a lot of opossum and fox. I have the compost heap quite a ways from the chickens so that the critters don't move from one to the other. We have 6 acres, so the compost heap is well into the woods...inconvenient whrn dumping but keeps the other animals out of our yard.
This is the time of year we tend to get more possum and fox. We also had a bobcat attack one of our cats a few days ago! Caught it on the video doorbell. It came right up to the front porch! Luckily the cat got away.

 

[cholland]

X2 on electric fence. Just a wire or two around a fenced run can work well against most predators. I keep one low, about 5 inches or less from the ground.
I have skunks, fox, raccoon, etc. seems to keep them out of my chicken yard.
Electric net is another option, but more expensive.

 

[llombardo]

More will always come. Electric fence works well to keep birds safe.

I came home to an oppossum by my front door checking out boxes delivered earlier. He slowly and I mean slowly walked away when I got there. I know for a fact that I have raccoons and Opposums living within feet of the chickens on the opposite side of the femce. I try to keep them there. My german shepherd helps a lot.

 

[Lyranonamous]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm still a bit shocked at the number of opossums since I read they are solitary animals. I am finding that hard to believe, and my husband said he has seen them in groups. I wish I could just enjoy seeing the foxes-

 

[Lyranonamous]

More will always come. Electric fence works well to keep birds safe.

I came home to an oppossum by my front door checking out boxes delivered earlier. He slowly and I mean slowly walked away when I got there. I know for a fact that I have raccoons and Opposums living within feet of the chickens on the opposite side of the femce. I try to keep them there. My german shepherd helps a lot.

Oddly we had a delivery box chewed up and made the connection later that it was the opossum. The damage was too big for mouse or rat. They DO move slowly!!