Oppossum - predator or pest?

[Deanw]

I had 5 RIR's until last night, this morning 4 were laying in the lot outside of there coop (headless). the other one is gone with no trace of where it went. Does this sound like a raccoon? Will they eat some heads then take one for the road? Any input will be greatly appreciated. Thanks


Dean

 

[SandraChick]

Yes they will and so will weasels.

Sandra

 

[Barnyard Dawg]

My labs will leave opossums at our back porch they are always dead. That is a good thing to have dogs for protecting your flock I always feel safe with them watching over them. They have also chased off skunks and killed a few rats their scent alone probably keeps a lot of critters away.

 

[HenHappy]

Racoons are deadly. Friend lost all her birds but one. I took her in (Her name is Lucky of course.) they are not satisfied with one. they will kill them all if they can. Trap the pests.

 

[prariechiken]

Lost all but about 7 chickens to coons one fall. Need to be sure and be proactive with pests. If you wait till they get into your flock, you won't have much of a flock left.

 

[soonerdog]

Well, just this past week I have caught three adult possums, two bore possums, and a female with babies. I relocated them all to a wildlife area 50 miles below the city. It is a designated area reserved for wildlife, so I figured they might be happier there. The female had about 11 babies haning on her, and then in the pouch on her abdomen I could see the movement of others crawling inside. I assume that it is possible for her to have had several litters at one time, with the litters being of different ages. Don't know for sure, but this one was loaded with babies. I am glad they are gone! I have captured well over a 100 from my backyard over about three years. There must be hundreds more because the keep coming. Since I have been capturing them, I have not had anymore break-ins to my chickens. Talk at you later, Possum Catcher.

 

[mudhen]

Wow, soonerdog, good job! Your chickens will sleep happier!
And relocating them 50 miles away is smart, they won't wander back from that far away!

 

[ChickieDee]

WOW. I guess I was very lucky. I had a oppossum coming in my coop but it only went after the feed. He did scare some of my birds out into the cold winter night. He wasn't very afraid of me so I just picked him up by the tail put him in a bucket with a lid and drove him down the road to set him free. I don't like to kill anything.

 

[kingsdaughter]

Ok, other than the steel post idea someone mentioned in another thread, how do you kill a skunk? Shoot it? Does it smell after you shoot it?

 

[bobbieguyette]

TJ is correct the only way to keep your birds safe is to lock them up dont leave them in wired runs they are easy prey that way to any determined predator.
after losing alot of my flocked over the years ive learned to lock em up and they are safe they have covered runs during the day even with covered and wired on the bottom is not good enough they need to be locked up tighter than a drum at night i have 3 coops and ever tho a pain to be home at night to lock em up at least i know i wont lose any to predators and i have every kind here in NH,I could set a trap everynight and catch something but locking em up i dont have too good luck