How to get rid of a possum?

[SVRabbitry]

I had a Possum about a week ago get into my coop and kill one of my Cochin hens. I am terrified of Possums. I cry when I see them, I'd prefer not trapping for this reason. You'd think after the night he had stuck in my coop he wouldn't come back. We'll he's been back multiple times trying to dig his way back in. I need something to get rid of him that's not shooting because I live in a neighborhood. He's been stalking my house for a while (chickens and rabbits) I was thinking a water balloon filled with vineger so when he digs it pops right into his face

 

[Chicks Galore3]

I'm with you on the scared of possum thing - traumatic childhood experience(s). The balloon might work. Is there someone who could trap for you? Or wait around for the possum and yell at it/scare it away?

 

[centrarchid]

I catch them by hand pretty regularly without wearing protection so they are not nearly as dangerous as they look. They are lacking in the cute department but also not real smart or particularly agile. I kill but they are among the easiest to lick using even the lowest end electrified fencing. Setup so fencing is about 4" above ground at perimeter of coop. Several threads show pictures of how it is done. Go solar with charger if long extension cord otherwise needed. Opossum will have to come across it to get to coop and get zapped. Opossum may come back for a few nights probing but will eventually learn to pass coop by. Most of my opossum visits have been for food first, then birds. Work to make so feed does not smell so strong. I do so by keeping it dry and minimize that left over after dark on ground.

 

[centrarchid]

I'm with you on the scared of possum thing - traumatic childhood experience(s). The balloon might work. Is there someone who could trap for you? Or wait around for the possum and yell at it/scare it away?

They do not respond well to yelling. I even went to lengths with an individual named Billy-Bob that was captured and paddled every night when he got into my feed. He seemed unfazed by my efforts and may have even come to associate me personally with close proximity of eats. In the end feed was placed in can at night and the bugger finally went messing about elsewhere.

 

[SVRabbitry]

Too bad we're in Florida or id call the turtleman. We're fixing to move so that possum will be the neighbors problem so i don't exactly need him dead but away from my coop.

 

[SVRabbitry]

And its not feed hes after its blood.

 

[centrarchid]

And its not feed hes after its blood.

Maybe not. Regardless, chronic losses to a lowly opossum are not to hard to avoid even if through modest upgrades to your setup. It will have kin waiting where you move to so be ready.

 

[Blue CopperHen]

I was sitting in the house one evening and I heard my rooster screaming, ''STRANGER DANGER!! STRANGER DANGER!!!! '' so I grabbed my .22 and went to my back door and peeked out . The coop had a light in it because at the time it was just after dark and I keep lights on my hens for 16 hours during the winter to keep them laying. Lo and behold, there was a possum eating feed under my hanging feeder. I raised my .22 and leveled him with my first shot. I was so proud of myself!! LOL. At the time, we had just had a storm I call the Snowpocolypse and there was 2 foot of snow on the ground.I was in my nighty, so I thought, "whew, I will go drag him out in the morning. ". Ummm, NO. My rooster continued to freak out and continued with his ""STRANGER DANGER!!!"" routine, so I pulled on my tall rubber boots, with my nighty, and trudged out there to remove him. Good thing I didn't have close neighbors at the time. What a sight I was. Nighty that came to just above my knees, tall rubber muck boots, deerskin gloves and a flashlight and rifle in my hands. A scene straight out of the Beverly Hillbillies.

 

[GingerJane]

Use a live trap so you won't have to kill it. leave meat inside the trap so it will attract it.

 

[SVRabbitry]

I don't leave feed out at night. They lay in the afternoon. He kills the chickens eats the innereds and leaves. Leaving meat will attract cats, electifying will hurt my dogs. I caught the possum in the coop in the middle of murdering my Cochin, So I know he's not scavenging.