- Jun 27, 2010
- 1,662
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I'm not crazy about the possum and I realize people have to do whatever they have to do to protect their flock but the possum has moved up a notch in my opinion of them.
Going out front in the evening, I saw a rat run out from under my deck, across the driveway and into the neighbor's yard. I've seen the way mice run and this was just the same only on a larger scale.
The following night, I had a possum hunting that rat for a meal. He sat by the juniper at the end of the walkway and looked like he was in the middle of something and wouldn't be interrupted. Rats love to hide in juniper.
Well, I read on the Internet that possums eat rats and mice, as well as fruits and whatever else it is they can scavange. I have not seen our rat since.
Anyway, I keep my coop closed up at night these days and I don't have any problem with the possums.
I used to leave the coop open for years and would maybe have a possum intruder once a year or so. I did have one kill in the open run when I was away on vacation but in retrospect, seeing plenty of hawk kills since then, I now believe that was a hawk kill too.
Originally, I thought it might be a possum or a coon and I've upped my hen house security. Anyway, not sayin' I love the possum but as long as your hens are closed up at night, they (the possum) might actually serve a useful purpose.
I could do without a rat contageon and I have to admit I'm not seeing as many mice these days. Just thought I'd pass that on for people in similar situations.
Going out front in the evening, I saw a rat run out from under my deck, across the driveway and into the neighbor's yard. I've seen the way mice run and this was just the same only on a larger scale.
The following night, I had a possum hunting that rat for a meal. He sat by the juniper at the end of the walkway and looked like he was in the middle of something and wouldn't be interrupted. Rats love to hide in juniper.
Well, I read on the Internet that possums eat rats and mice, as well as fruits and whatever else it is they can scavange. I have not seen our rat since.
Anyway, I keep my coop closed up at night these days and I don't have any problem with the possums.
I used to leave the coop open for years and would maybe have a possum intruder once a year or so. I did have one kill in the open run when I was away on vacation but in retrospect, seeing plenty of hawk kills since then, I now believe that was a hawk kill too.
Originally, I thought it might be a possum or a coon and I've upped my hen house security. Anyway, not sayin' I love the possum but as long as your hens are closed up at night, they (the possum) might actually serve a useful purpose.
I could do without a rat contageon and I have to admit I'm not seeing as many mice these days. Just thought I'd pass that on for people in similar situations.
