Adventures with possums

[crazyfeathers]

Aww that is such a sweet story enola. Knock on wood we have been predator free. There was a Fox but he stayed way out in the field and if he tried to come closer our small 135 pound shepherd/lab mix was in hot pursuit lol. I should make a sign for my mailbox that says "no bills" maybe that will work

 

[enola]

I call bills "fan mail". And yes, I think a "no bills" sign would be very appropriate!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

There is an opossum that keeps going in our coop at dusk, before I shut the door. They give me the creeps, like, scream like a girl scared. All it's doing is eating the chicken food at the moment.

As my first post on this subject suggest Mr. and Mrs. Possum and myself goes way back.

Just exactly how sure are you that Pogo isn't living in the coop along side your chickens? You would not be the first to discover that this is the case.

 

[enola]

I suspect my daughter's possum lived up under the nests for sometime before he was seen. A paw trap and Mr. 22 took care of that problem.

 

[Coralietg]

As my first post on this subject suggest Mr. and Mrs. Possum and myself goes way back.

Just exactly how sure are you that Pogo isn't living in the coop along side your chickens? You would not be the first to discover that this is the case.

I discovered a couple of nights a go that he/she is living UNDER the chicken shed. I saw him coming out from underneath, but by the time my husband went out with his .22 it was gone.

 

[19disbre]

Do you have dogs? If not set a 160 or 220 conibear trap over his hole(s) he will be dead quick, just cover the edges of the trap with sticks and grass to blend it in a bit.

 

[fenwickchic]

My little 20 lb. Papillon mix mutt has been catching voles/filed mice (10 so far), but he has missed the possums. My husband dispatched 7 of the today. Six got shot with his 22 and the seventh got hit with a brick. DH said he needs target practice!!! Unfortunately 22 ammo is precious and the bricks are reusable. They were all babies. Thankfully, it stinks under our shed. I think mama must have died. My new roo, Wyatt, has been waking the dead at 4:00 on various mornings. Now I may know why. His leg has a red spot on it and feathers missing, so I think he may well have injured mama possum badly enough that she died. Thank heavens for roosters. My wonderful Charlie gave his life last year protecting the girls from a weasel. I have placed predator pee all around their yard area hoping there are no repeats of weasels. I have heavy duty aviary netting over their yard too. I am sick to death of predators. I am praying I never have to deal with a racoon.

 

[Andy Wayne]

FYI, possums have more teeth (50!) than any other mammal.

Here's one I caught in a live trap in my yard, I let him go in the woods a few miles away.


And here's one I saw in my yard before I had chickens:

If you'd like, you can see the rest of the pics I took of him here: A wild possum I chased down on foot in our yard near one of the apple trees.
And here's my main picture page if you want to see more of my pics: https://www.flickr.com/photos/andywayne/sets/

And BTW, that's a beautiful shotgun!

 

[aryma]

Go to ACE Hardware store tell them what your problem is they will fix you right up. Really they are the best go to place to get real help.

 

[AlamedaSunchokes]

Give up farming, maybe, but not for WHole Foods: time to write your memoirs, if you have more stories like this and tell them as well. . .