The last few months I have noticed 1-2 eggs that get eaten right in the coop. At first I thought the chickens were stopping some eggs and then eating them before I could get them out of the coop/nest box. But the last few nights I narrowed it down to nighttime raids. The night before last I saw/heard something move in the chicken run just before nightfall, but I dismissed it as one of the hens moving to roost a little later than usual supported by the fact my 3 dogs that were by the coop did not alarm/bark at anything. The next day after work I was in the run changing out water and food when I saw a large possum crawling up the inside back panel of the fenced run. That possum had been in the run all day with the chickens but had not touched one of them and the chickens acted normal when I opened the run to let them roam the yard (~1 acre). Boy was I surprised and so was the possum, he froze clutching the fence and I got an improvised dog loop and pulled him down and put him over the fence. I believe that this sneak had been visiting for the last few months and that my dogs had just gotten used to it like they ignore the squirrels in the yard. The dogs know not to go into the coop, so I figure they ignore anything in there. Now I have to "possum" proof the run! I have some nylon mesh fencing that I will use to cover the top of the run. I will find out if this is sufficient. The sage will continue.
