North Carolina

[2GirlsMiniFarm]

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I <3 when they still have their egg tooth!!!!!!

 

[BHep]

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I am...... these hatched New Years. I did get these all on swap. I hatched 42 chicks.

 

[BHep]

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OOOOO WAIT !!

I just got that !

I was sleeping and you all swapped like vultures without me.

 

[NewHomesteader2010]

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x2


If I lend you my trap, do I still get the cookies.

Good Morning Everyone!! I don't know about you, but I am ready for the weather to either STAY cold or STAY warm. This back and forth is giving me a headache!!

RF & Bhep - I don't know how much live trapping would work, as first off, we are surrounded by woods. Secondly, I know for a fact that this opossum has a family, as he/she has brought a little bitty with him/her and another bigger one up to the house before (assuming it's the same one). As for the cookies...BHep you know all you have to do is stop by and I'll throw a batch in the oven for you!! I'd make a bigger, fluffier batch with duck eggs...later on this year...I'm going to hit you up for ducks!!

G&A - We free range during the day. DH was being lazy last night and didn't go lock up until after dark (usually he locks up at dusk when he gets home from work if I haven't already done so, but being on "restriction" he insisted taking over all the outdoor "manly" chores!

). I know it just walked in there and helped itself to the eggs - found only 1 egg in the coop, I did find the remains of another egg, so I know it had just eaten. Now that it knows there's food...and it's getting colder...

DoubleT -

Sadly, the 12g wouldn't have worked last night when it was sharing the box with Susan. She would have been "in the way" as it was literally hiding behind her. It's mouth was open and hissing, I thought for sure it was going to attack her! If it had so much as scratched her, I swear I am not a violent person but I would have beaten that thing to death with the pathetic stick I was holding, and should the stick have broken, I would have ripped the rake out of DH's hand and clubbed it to death with that. Then, I probably would have spent the night crying!! We are waiting for our gun license (we get to wait "extra" long because neither of us have lived in NC for 2 years...DH gets to wait longer because he moved twice so the background check takes longer. UGH) and so I was thinking of getting a big BB gun in the mean time. Would that just anger an opossum or would it actually HARM it?

Thank you everyone for the support/advice! Now we get to figure out what to do to prevent this bugger from coming back and bringing friends. I wonder if we placed one of those game lights - the blinking red eye light thingies near the door to the coop if that would work. What time are opossums usually beginning to be active??

Just what I need...another bump in the road. Welcome to the lows of owning chickens?? Still, I will focus on the positive - no one was injured, not even the opossum (I don't think).

Have a great day everyone!!

 

[ramirezframing]

they mostly are out in dark and are a loner unless its breeding time. Moms carry babies either in pouch or on back. If one falls off, she wont go get it. But you can trap it in a big live trap. If you dont want to use an egg as bait you can use a little can of wet cat food. If you use a trap, you want to set it up for a while after you trap #1 to see if there are more. Good luck.

 

[Greenskeeper]

I use an air soft gun. Shoots plastic pellets! Works great for running things off! Thanks to my sweet DW for waking me before the sun today!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I vote for traping and relocating, you'll never get rid of all the opossums racoons foxes by killing them, and what the heck they are opportunistic the coop was open hey I found food. If he's wanted to kill Susan he sure could have, you've seen those teeth. Some how we have to learn to live with our neighbors, the wild animals, now stray dogs who are owned by people that attacked our animals thats another story, I haven't had to kill any but I have shot at them to scare them off, but if one was getting my chickens or ducks I would have to shoot it. I am glad to hear that Susan held her own and came through unscathed.

 

[NewHomesteader2010]

Well this morning has officially started off stinking. It is with sadness that we report our first livestock loss. Apparently Susan who was just starting to get better succumb to the trauma of sharing a nesting box with an opossum. I found her this morning in the same spot she was in last night, only frozen in place. There were no wounds on her (as I double checked her over) and I suspect that her poor little heart gave out. Her body was already working overtime trying to heal, and when we left last night, she was breathing hard, but seemed okay otherwise. She will be greatly missed, as she was such a sweetie. I am surprised at how well I am handling this, as usually I am a basket case when it comes to dead animals. I waited for little miss to go down for a nap, and snuck outside to remove her body from the coop. I placed her in a scented garbage bag (to confuse predators, I hope) to "house" her until DH comes home and we either bury her or burn her (I was told that's the best thing to do with livestock so predators aren't attracted to the body, right??). What do you all do when one goes on to Chicken Heaven? She was a good chicken and gave us a good 6-8 months of great dark brown eggs. RIP Susan! I hope she had a good life here while it lasted.

 

[Greenskeeper]

So sorry!

I bury mine. I hope the rest of your day is better!

 

[Gold Griffin Chicken Mom]

My condolences for Susan.

Before I forget... You need a good, sturdy hoe. Strong handle and sharp blade. You can put a hurting on a "critter" with a good hoe. While waiting for my son's bus this morning I kept thinking you need a good hoe close at hand. Maybe even near the back door!

Ok, get the hubby to dig a deep hole. My hubby uses the posthole diggers. Deep is more important than big around. I drop the dead bird in the bottom. We put cat litter (used, straight from cleaning the cat box) on top. This scoopable litter turns gooey before becoming claylike. After I think enough cat litter has been added, we fill the hole. Make a mound on top and smooth it out so you can tell if anything disturbs it. If some critter comes along and digs, you might need to place wire on top.

Or you could always get your husband to pee on it/near it. Not a joke! Male urine gives predators pause. Getting a male dog to mark the area works, too. Just think: if your little bundle is a boy, potty training out in the yard will be soooo fun....