Dealing with Opossums and chickens

[CSolis]

I keep the rat and mice population down with Ramik.. Or you could make a bucket trap (with water in it).. Rats and mice attract rat snakes.. I also collect eggs at dusk so as to not leave enticements. I've killed a half dozen rat snakes that got caught up in the deer netting on the tops of some of my pens.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

I keep the rat and mice population down with Ramik.. Or you could make a bucket trap (with water in it).. Rats and mice attract rat snakes.. I also collect eggs at dusk so as to not leave enticements. I've killed a half dozen rat snakes that got caught up in the deer netting on the tops of some of my pens.

Never seen a rat snake where i am in NY lol id rather have a snake then a rodent problem, feed is expensive lol

 

[CSolis]

Never seen a rat snake where i am in NY lol id rather have a snake then a rodent problem, feed is expensive lol

Last year I had my very first broody hen. She was sitting on eggs when I heard a big ruckus coming from their pen.. Went in and found her under the nesting box in the grips of a rat snake.. He was after eggs. Killed him, then when the chicks were a week old, found her dead one morning and all but one chick gone... the last one was dead as well. Tell me you would rather have snakes. I'll send you the next ones I find near my pens.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Last year I had my very first broody hen. She was sitting on eggs when I heard a big ruckus coming from their pen.. Went in and found her under the nesting box in the grips of a rat snake.. He was after eggs. Killed him, then when the chicks were a week old, found her dead one morning and all but one chick gone... the last one was dead as well. Tell me you would rather have snakes. I'll send you the next ones I find near my pens.

My pens have mesh ..there safe send em ova! Id sooner give up a chick that wont grow with a broody any day, snakes eat what they need...not kill for fun

 

[BigBlueHen53]

We had a pair of black rat snakes living under our coop that grew to over five feet long and big around as my leg, eating our eggs! No place for snakes around my chickens, that's why I have cats.

 

[CSolis]

We had a pair of black rat snakes living under our coop that grew to over five feet long and big around as my leg, eating our eggs! No place for snakes around my chickens, that's why I have cats.

These are so common around here, growing up to 5 feet long. What a nuisance!

 

[Bryce Thomas]

You can try to predator proof your run and coop, try looking for where the opossum entered. Try to secure feed and water, pest wont come where there is no food or water. If both are secured, he might be looking to eat eggs he smells. They will also be attracted to garbage that's left out, and are also attracted to fruit that has fallen off fruit trees. Even then, he could be attracted to the eggs.

If so, try collecting the eggs before dark, opossums are Crepuscular. Nocturnal means active at night, diurnal means acting during day, and Crepuscular means active at dawn and dusk, so only at twilight.

Also, if you consider hurting or shooting the opossum, just remember that opossums are very clean animals. They will try to get away from you before attacking, they don't carry rabies because their body temp is too low for rabies to survive, they eat ticks and other parasites, they eat snails and sometimes even aphids that eat your garden, they eats rats and other small rodents. This means they are as good as snakes when you have a rat problem in the run/coop

To move the opossums if you have to, always wear gloves. get a bucket and gently kick the opossum into the bucket, once in the bucket, move the opossum outside of the run and coop and release it.

Also, take note that opossums CAN and WILL attack, kill and eat chickens if hungry enough, If they are full, generally they will either play dead or run away if spotted or attacked by a chicken. If hungry, it will be the opossum that will be attacking and eating the chicken.

An opossums greatest sense is its sense of smell. You can put down any of: human, fox, owl, bobcat, mountain lion, dog, cat urine. Yes I said human. All you have to do is pee around the run. It sounds dumb but it works, trust me. I peed once around the run away from where the chickens can reach and since then no cat has come back!

One last thing. Opossums are great at one thing: Tonic Immobility/Apparent death. The art of playing dead. Its not just laying down and closing your eyes. Its not as simple as you think. The opossum will: Lower its heartbeat, slow its breathing, and they have glands in their anus that release a rotting flesh smell. It can take the opossum anywhere from a minute to 6 hours to stop playing dead.

Opossums will only play dead if attacked or caught off guard, if they know you are there, they will always run away, if you corner them, they will growl, if you don't back off, they will bite, if you attack back, they will play dead.

Hope this helps!


EDIT: It IS legal to kill an animal after you livestock. If you feel the need to kill the opossum, kill it while it is playing dead. Opossums dont really play dead, but they will paralyze themselves and go to sleep while playing dead, they dont feel pain while in this state. 2 humane ways to kill an opossum include gassing with carbon dioxide, or shooting the skull/head will a close range gun, preferably a handgun or a shotgun.

You can place crushed garlic cloves in a spray bottle and spray it around the coop and run, opossums hate garlic more than anything.

Opossums are great at learning from mistakes.They also hate mustard and hot peppers. If you think the opossum is coming back for eggs. Take one of your chicken eggs, crack a hole into it and pour it all out over the sink inside. Then fill it up with mustard or crushed hot pepper and leave it outside where you commonly see the opossum, once they bite into it they surely won't try eggs again! They could still come around, but they won't be coming for eggs anymore, i'll tell you that!

The reason why opossums hate pepper is because they are very sensitive to spiciness, a jalapeno or a serrano can taste like a ghost to them. The spicyness overpowers their nose and they mainly see through their nose, it basically blinds them until the spiciness wears off.

 

[Bryce Thomas]

These are so common around here, growing up to 5 feet long. What a nuisance!View attachment 3019369

Really? I love snakes!

 

[Uwish]

When I lived in Cali, and what I will do here now is. I leave food out every night (left overs lil dog food cat food etc etc everything available) my neighbors even save their leftovers for me and their groceries thst they are going to throw out)
I basically feed the wildlife along with feeding my animals, I have opossums skunks raccoons etc. So far in all these years knock on wood I have never had a problem because they have plenty of food they don’t have to fight for.
Opossums (IMO) are great to have around. Just my opinion and what has worked for me (I honestly leave a lot more then the pic shows ) I leave it on the opposite side from where my ducks are and my chicks will be.

 

[Uwish]

Really? I love snakes!

I love snakes to but I do not love rattle snakes on my property. Off my property I will love them all day but on it then it has to be captured and relocated