Gunna get me an Opossum tonight! GOT HIM!!!!!!!!!

[pinkchick]

Filthy, hissing little varmint!

Putting the chickens to bed last night, I reached to close the poop shoot door and there he was, just ...there. He wouldn't leave. I screamed like that did any good just made DH go into hysterics laughing. DH has to go with me as I won't go to coop alone at night anymore due to the mountain lion seen walking through our yard on Christmas morning, does he offer to help? NOOOOOOOOO! DH says he'll hold the flashlight for me though.

Anyway, was reading some posts about these nasty little buggers last night that were really helpful! So, I'm going to give it a try tonight. Don't know if I will be able to kill it though probably just release it.

Wish me luck!

 

[farmgirl987]

i wish you luck

when i was checking on my horses and there weretwo raccons and it was like they were on a date there were sitting and eating the cat food
i screamed so loadly that my dad came out and shoot him

 

[Miltonchix]

If you release him he'll just be back. Or start after someone elses chickens.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

PM rooster-red, our resident BYC possum wrangler. He'll give you some good tips.

 

[cmom]

I had a possum that went after my chickens.It is now history. It was a pretty big one.
There are so many dead ones in the road that I don't think I have to worry about them going extinct. I put steel leg traps out and caught some then to put them out of their and my misery, they get the 410. We have so many around I see them all the time. I didn't use to shut my coop up at night but since I have been seeing them around and have recently lost one of my best layers, it's good night possum. I contacted my local Fish and wildlife and they said go ahead and shoot. I'm not going to feed them and encourage them to come around.

 

[the1much]

Quote:
THATS what i was gonna say !!

 

[pinkchick]

Trap is set and ready to go! I have decided that I am not going to just release it because if not the same one another one will undoubtedly follow. I think I will have to ask my 21 yo son to help out with disposal of possum. I just can't do it and my husband certainly will not.
Several years ago we tried chickens and one turkey I bought on a whim. I had no clue what I was doing. Made a coop out of an unused stupidly huge doghouse, put up a run. They where about 4 months old and doing well so DH and I decide to run off to Tahoe with my sister who suprised us with an invite.....heck ya! we were gone.
I made arrangements with my very wonderful neighbor to look after chickens for eleven days. I get a call from neighbor about one week in everything is going okay but the turkey can't stand up!
hmmm?.................Uncle Tom my favorite would lay his head on my knee when I went in to feed! Neighbor took Tom home with him put in crate and gave him food and water.
Called couple days later on our way home, Tom is fine but still won't stand. We get home and I go straight to neighbor for Tom. Walking back down to our driveway my hubby walks up to meet to tell me that all of the chickens are dead!

Sure enough I walk around the house to coop and all over the yard are my lovely chickens.

We found out what killed the chickens and what I could have done to avoid it! An unruly dog that belongs to another neighbor that lives further up the hill was responsible for the killing but I was responsible for the coop design and security. I did not use tall enough fence material as the unruly next door dog could jump right in it.
As for my Dear Uncle Tom we had to cull. My husband did the deed and politely asked me to make sure he never does that again. He felt horrible for a time after.
So I can see why he only held the flashlight for me last night.

It has taken me this long to get the nerve up again to get chickens again. Signed up on BYC learned some cool stuff, got some chickens, and haven't looked back.

BYC IS THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks All!

 

[Scrambled Egg]

Your possum hunting timing is perfect as two of them showed up at my house just tonight....come help yourself, lol!! https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=117259

 

[pinkchick]

GOT Him!!!!!!!!!!

Went out to feed this morning and there he was all soaking wet, looking horrible, hanging on to the cage like a criminal behind bars. As if he were saying " LET ME OUT , LET ME OUT!" Serves him right for going into my chicken coop.

Now since I have caught this one should I leave the trap out for a few more nights to see if anymore come around? Will they do that, one right after another? Or does it take some time for more to mosey in?

Thanks!

 

[The Chicken Lady]

Way to go!

How are you going to dispose of said possum? Dropping him off will make him someone else's problem, and if you release him anywhere near your house he'll probably come back...