Opossum Playing Dead

[centrarchid]

True dat! Nevertheless this link would benefit probably every new chicken owner. So many (me especially!) have/had no idea of how to protect their new feathered family members. If I knew these simple starts it wouldn't have taken me so long to get it [close to] right! The link can help avoid some seriously overlooked (and probably previously unknown) predator dangers. Does it address every example of coop/run/FR aspects? No, but it addresses basics that newbies can incorporate into their setup. My love of this link stands.

More importantly, does it address my original post?

 

[centrarchid]

I think you need a pen that will keep the possums out of the chook run/house. They kill and eat snakes and they eat ticks. They are good to have around if can keep them away from your chickens. They will also kill domestic rabbits. Get in the cage and pull them out. They are immune to snake venom and aren't likely to carry rabies. Super interesting animals.

They eat ticks, but they are not an effective control measure. My chickens likely more effective as ticks do not have to be on chickens to be consumed.

 

[Debby R]

That's what opossums do, play dead. Years ago 2 of my dogs went out into the yard and a opossum played dead the whole time they ran around it, sniffed it, etc. Luckily it did or my dogs would have been badly injured or dead.
As for the opossum and chickens. I have opossum in my yard every night. They never show an interest in the fact there are two chickens being housed right next to where the opossum are sniffy the ground. I have never seen them even sniff n and around the run nor try to get in. Thankfully.
Oh and the saying "playing opossum" means playing dead, like the opossum do.

Playing dead is their defense, like you said.

 

[Avian Allie]

!Possum lover alert!
Okay, so possums do not like confrontation and will partially shut down their internal organs to play dead. Some will make a big snapping snarling show to try and get you to leave them alone, but they really just want be left in peace and not fight anything. Opossums, unfortunately, will occasionally kill a chicken but usually they are just blamed for eating the carcass. They are rarely a problem but one every now and then gets a taste for fresh chicken and gives all possums a bad rap.
It probably was living with you for a while.
The possums with darker fur tend to be more aggressive and ones with lighter fur tend to be more docile out here. So I’d suspect it just came to you to get warm and fed, sometimes they will sleep in the coop for heat, not to eat your gals.
By the way, they never stop growing until they die at 2-3 years. They are also closely related to the mongoose and can eat venomous snakes with no issues.

 

[centrarchid]

!Possum lover alert!
Okay, so possums do not like confrontation and will partially shut down their internal organs to play dead. Some will make a big snapping snarling show to try and get you to leave them alone, but they really just want be left in peace and not fight anything. Opossums, unfortunately, will occasionally kill a chicken but usually they are just blamed for eating the carcass. They are rarely a problem but one every now and then gets a taste for fresh chicken and gives all possums a bad rap.
It probably was living with you for a while.
The possums with darker fur tend to be more aggressive and ones with lighter fur tend to be more docile out here. So I’d suspect it just came to you to get warm and fed, sometimes they will sleep in the coop for heat, not to eat your gals.
By the way, they never stop growing until they die at 2-3 years. They are also closely related to the mongoose and can eat venomous snakes with no issues.

What the heck?!

 

[Ted_Harrell]

What the heck?!

I don't feel so bad now, I threatened to shoot the neighbors dog for killing two of my chickens and was issued unlawful threat warnings and told I need to put up a good electric fence. You mentioned a possum playing dead and found a possum lover. Bless all of you...

 

[Rooapalooza]

I don't feel so bad now, I threatened to shoot the neighbors dog for killing two of my chickens and was issued unlawful threat warnings and told I need to put up a good electric fence. You mentioned a possum playing dead and found a possum lover. Bless all

I'm sorry you lost chickens. It is not acceptable to kill or hurt and dog for that though. If dogs are able to get to your chickens that is on you (and the owner), not them. Dogs are not malicious, it's just their basic instinct, not to mention a really fun chase. I've had chickens killed by my neighbor's dog. My poor dumb birds
flew over the fence. Yesterday I had a dog in my field terrorizing my chickens. He caught one little hen and ran around with her but I was able to retrieve her alive. The poor girls who had lost control of the dog started kicking it when they caught it, which is not cool. It had no idea what it did wrong and hitting a dog is not an appropriate training method anyway.

There's a hierarchy to these things. To many people dogs are members of the family. Killing a dog that killed your kid is alright. Killing a kid that killed your dog is not. Killing a dog for killing a chicken is a disproportionate response. Talk to the owner and be civil. It's a good idea to get along with your neighbors anyway.

Sorry that is off- topic, OP. Possums have killed my young chickens, eaten crazy numbers of eggs, and eaten a lot of chicken feed. My rooster and hens don't raise the alarm about them either. They absolutely play dead and can be very brazen. I had a possum on my lit porch eating my cat's food. The first time it ran when I came out. Eventually it didn't even look up from eating when I shot it with a bb gun. Ethically and legally I think it's okay to kill possums if they are causing problems for you, just do it quickly and respectfully.

 

[Cryss]

More importantly, does it address my original post?

It seemed to me to address the issue of a possum in your coop.

 

[aart]

I can't like this link enough!

I like that it gives good and bad examples.

More importantly, does it address my original post?

At expecting threads to stay on topic.
#smartphonesandtwitterkilleddiscussionforums

 

[centrarchid]

It seemed to me to address the issue of a possum in your coop.

I killed it and be killing some more. Just crossing the yard will be enough reason.

It seemed to me to address the issue of a possum in your coop.

Thread to relate an observation providing better understanding. Your addition is beating dead horse to death.