Oppossum

[Sammster]

I had an unwelcome visitor on my deck, this morning. A juvenile opossum. I sacred it away with the spray of my hose. I shared this with another group, and the members were touting the benefits of opossum (they eat ticks, snakes, other pests). They said opossum don't eat chickens. I've read that they can. Am I wrong?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

While not as pervasive as others like raccoons, fox and hawks, they still can, will and do kill and eat chickens.
They just aren't as aggressive in doing so. But like the raccoon, they have excellent night vision which doesn't bode well for chickens that are virtually blind at night.
I actually had a 'possum living in a coop for a few days just eating eggs at night. I finally sent him on his way.

 

[Debbie292d]

I had an unwelcome visitor on my deck, this morning. A juvenile opossum. I sacred it away with the spray of my hose. I shared this with another group, and the members were touting the benefits of opossum (they eat ticks, snakes, other pests). They said opossum don't eat chickens. I've read that they can. Am I wrong?
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We have one that shows up around here on deer cams. They can't get in our coop though and the dogs chase it off.

One idea I read for those scared they might go for their chickens was to get cheap cat food and set a dish of it far from the coop. Keep an eye on it and fill it when necessary. The only time they steal eggs or go after a chicken is if they're very hungry.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I wanted to add that in addition to what the OP mentioned, opossums tend to be the terrestrial version of vultures, cleaning up all the carrion and other organic debris that needs to be collected in the environment. You can look at them as nature's garbage disposers.