Oppossum....a threat?

[spuetz07]

I found one (a small one) running around the coop as I was locking it up. I left the coop open so he could get out. I showed it to my cats, but they were uninterested. Is this thing a threat? Im going back out there, and Im sure he will be gone, but should I worry about them hurting my chickens? It seemed to me it wanted the feed more than anything.

 

[chickenguysmom]

YES, they are a threat. Had one kill my large chicken one night when the pen door was left open. Didn't eat her.... just interested in the eggs insider her. Found her mostly intact with egg shell laying next to her. Was told they may kill them to get at the egg inside that would have been layed the following day.

If you have an oppossum you have trouble. Cats won't mess with them and they can be mean creatures with very sharp teeth. They will hiss and growl at you if you get too close of they feel threatened.

 

[M To The Maxx]

YES, they are a BIG threat.

 

[spuetz07]

Oh no! What should I do? We dont have any traps....should we shoot him? (By "we" I mean my husband, lol) Im going to go back out there and check on the situation. Maybe he has gone by now.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I've lost chickens to opossums here in south Florida.

They've killed & eaten chicks & ducklings, and killed adult chickens. Often only eating off the heads

They've gone after my broody hens and killed them in order to eat their eggs or chicks.

They don't work during the day. Be sure to have good secure places for your birds to sleep, away from the paws & teeth of opossums & other nighttime predators. You can catch opossums in a live trap using smelly cat food, canned sardines or tuna, also using whole eggs for bait.

It's up to you to decide what to do with the ones you catch, but please don't release them anywhere near anyone else's property. Not within miles of anyone else. Their numbers here have only increased with development.

 

[M To The Maxx]

Quote:
Just make sure you lock your coop up every night. You can shoot the oppossum.

 

[TexasVet]

They seem to travel in family units too. I almost always trap 3 in a row, a big male, a big female, and at least one youngster.

Kathy, Bellville TX
www.ChickenTrackin.com

 

[teach1rusl]

When I was a kid they would go out to the shed where we fed our cats to eat their food. They would hiss at us if we got too close, but other than eating a little food now and then, they did no damage, so we left them alone. But if I had one in my chicken coop, I'd be sending my DH out to "take care of it." I don't mind skunks, 'possums, etc. on our property, but my coop is OFF LIMITS!! I'm not going ask why he's there "Are you merely dining on feed tonight, or do you feel more like the chicken?" I'm going to assume he's there for the chicken dinner.

 

[spuetz07]

Well....we took care of it. Good thing he is a slow mover!! Easy target! Thanks for all the pointers/advice/tips!! Much appreciated.

 

[Widget]

Fun facts: Possums have more teeth than any other North American land mammal. And they know how to use them. Also they are relatively immune from the rabies virus unlike foxes and skunks.

I used to work with a one that was used for educational programs at a zoo I worked at for a couple years. She was actually fun to be around. But having been up close and personal with those teeth I would no recommend anyone trying to keep one as a pet. This one was an exception to the rule. Her two cage mates who were raised exactly the same way would just as soon bite the hand that fed them than be handled.