Odd Critter Appreciation Thread

[HollyBerrie]

I admit, out of ignorance I have killed opossums. One day I was shooting an opossum had to get closer to it to finish him off. He was laying on the ground and trying his best to defend himself by showing his teeth and snarling. It just hit me "What am I doing? He is not attacking anything, not doing any damage whatsoever to my property, on my property, to my poultry, and he desperately wants to live". At that point I had to kill him, because I already injured him too much.

No more.

The next opossum I saw on my property would sometimes would try to stay in the barn at night with the chickens. It was getting close to winter. When closing the barn door at night sometimes he was on the pooping tray (that was under the roost) with the chickens, thinking he was going to stay in there for the night. I would shoo him off of there and out of the barn with a broom.

One night I caught him hiding under a nest box, so I wouldn't see him, as if he's done that before and it worked. So, I always checked there too. After a few times of shooing him out of the barn, he settled under the chicken shed.

I named him Smelly because he had gotten sprayed by a skunk one time.

One morning he was coming out from under the chicken shed and he played dead. I thought that was strange because he never has done that around me before. Later that day I found him dead for sure in another area on my property.

I never tried to tame him, and never put food out specifically for him. He was simply welcome here. He never tried to harm my chickens and I never found eggs broken.

@CapricornFarm In answer to your question "How about, I am positive they kill chickens?"

In my experience no. Opossums have not killed my chickens.

Opossums are mostly around at night, when the chickens are safely, and securely locked in their barn, and shed. In the story above I made sure the opossum would not stay in the barn with them.

During the day, opossums have been are around at times, but have just been meandering through and are very slow compared to my chickens.

I am aware that others have had different experiences.

 

[NC_Quail]

I like opossums when they are not trying to attack my chickens or my cats. Otherwise they have cute faces. I don’t know if I really “hate” any animal except deer and insects of any kind.

 

[Isadora]

I like opossums when they are not trying to attack my chickens or my cats. Otherwise they have cute faces. I don’t know if I really “hate” any animal except deer and insects of any kind.

Why on earth do you hate deer?

 

[Coops Dad]

Why on earth do you hate deer?

Personally,I hate them because they're so scarce between Nov. 01 and Dec. 31 but show up by the hundreds as soon as deer season closes. I hate them because there's so many in the woods and so few in my freezer.

 

[Isadora]

Personally,I hate them because they're so scarce between Nov. 01 and Dec. 31 but show up by the hundreds as soon as deer season closes. I hate them because there's so many in the woods and so few in my freezer.

Good answer

 

[NC_Quail]

Why on earth do you hate deer?

I agree with coops dad. Also, deer obliterate my garden if I don’t cover it with netting. They still eat the tips of the plants if they grow through the netting.

 

[Isadora]

I agree with coops dad. Also, deer obliterate my garden if I don’t cover it with netting. They still eat the tips of the plants if they grow through the netting.

Got it.
I knew a lady that was afraid of deer as if they would attack her so I was wondering if that's what you were thinking.
I don't like there for the reason that they always run out in front of cars.

 

[HollyBerrie]

I agree with coops dad. Also, deer obliterate my garden if I don’t cover it with netting. They still eat the tips of the plants if they grow through the netting.

We have a 7 foot deer fence around the garden, within our fenced (with electric) area of approximately 1 & 1/2 acres to (try) to keep predators out.

 

[HollyBerrie]

On a chicken forum? Yes!

Only for those who like, love, and appreciate opossums.

Opossum hate speech of any nature will not be tolerated!

Would have liked to edit this, but I suppose too late.

Changed the name to include all odd critters that are appreciated. Please be respectful of what others appreciate. Thank you.

 

[NC_Quail]

We have a 7 foot deer fence around the garden, within our fenced (with electric) area of approximately 1 & 1/2 acres to (try) to keep predators out.

I would love to have a big fence, but our garden is in the front yard where our neighbors ca n see it, so my dad is reluctant.