SCMommaHen
Songster
- Apr 16, 2021
- 88
- 156
- 123
I had a opossum attack Christmas morning that was shocking. After trapping the last opossum that only ate the feed and not seeing any predators on the cameras for a couple months, I felt the risk was low leaving the electric fence off and open while I was on vacation. I was so wrong. Not 10 hours from my return the biggest grand daddy of a opossum "Scrooge" walked right into the coop and attacked my chickens. I helplessly watched the carnage on camera, not able to tell who was alive as chicken feathers flew everywhere! I frantically packed the car to rush home and during the first stop found the internet had gone down at the house and could no longer see the cameras! I drove from FL to SC at the speed of light, worrying. Sorry kids no rest stops this trip.
I arrived to find all 8 alive amazingly! I was lucky. My rooster lost a lot of feathers, 3 were missing tails and the wyandotte torn up pretty good on one side also no tail feathers. The Russian was in clear shock and walked around for 2 days like a zombie. She and the crevecoeur won't go into the coop now and have been roosting in a tree outside the coop but inside the electric fence. The others eventually went in.
I trapped Scrooge the next night. He weighed well over 20 lbs and was the biggest I've ever seen. I didn't think opossum were a big threat and more opportunistic eaters. The video showed me otherwise. He bypassed all the feed and eggs left out and went right for the chickens. Even after the rooster got him good he still went for the hens. They managed to get out of the coop and into the yard in pitch black. Amazing they are alive. I will never underestimate a opossum again.
I arrived to find all 8 alive amazingly! I was lucky. My rooster lost a lot of feathers, 3 were missing tails and the wyandotte torn up pretty good on one side also no tail feathers. The Russian was in clear shock and walked around for 2 days like a zombie. She and the crevecoeur won't go into the coop now and have been roosting in a tree outside the coop but inside the electric fence. The others eventually went in.
I trapped Scrooge the next night. He weighed well over 20 lbs and was the biggest I've ever seen. I didn't think opossum were a big threat and more opportunistic eaters. The video showed me otherwise. He bypassed all the feed and eggs left out and went right for the chickens. Even after the rooster got him good he still went for the hens. They managed to get out of the coop and into the yard in pitch black. Amazing they are alive. I will never underestimate a opossum again.
