'Possum in the hen house!!

[leahpiah]

I had a possum get in my house and scare my girls too- it ate an egg and their food...they're all okay (they are a nervous bunch in the first place), but now they will not go in their coop at night, even though the possum is gone. What can I do? I have cleaned the coop thoroughly and replaced all their bedding in hopes of getting out the smell of possum, but they WILL NOT go in there at night. They all roost on a chair by my back door and behind my trashcans. I have to dig them out every night and shut them in. This routine is getting old. Help!

 

[aart]

I had a possum get in my house and scare my girls too- it ate an egg and their food...they're all okay (they are a nervous bunch in the first place), but now they will not go in their coop at night, even though the possum is gone. What can I do? I have cleaned the coop thoroughly and replaced all their bedding in hopes of getting out the smell of possum, but they WILL NOT go in there at night. They all roost on a chair by my back door and behind my trashcans. I have to dig them out every night and shut them in. This routine is getting old. Help!

Put them in the coop after dark...if you've secured the place where the possum got in..
Lift them off their new 'chair roost' by holding their wings to their bodies with both hands and place their feet on the coop roost, slowly let go until they have their feet under them. They'll squawk, but settle.

It's not the smell, but the 'now very unsafe place'...you'll have to 'force' them to be in there and after a few days they'll get over the fright.

 

[leahpiah]

That's what I've been doing for over a week now! they're fine in the run, but at night, they all manage to escape. I've secured all the areas and trimmed feathers. they hop and claw their way over the fence! It is a sight. They settled nicely inside the run though- they just leave at night. I have the craziest chickens ever. I was thinking of just closing them in for a full day- kinda like I do a new hen so she gets that this is home.

 

[aart]

That's what I've been doing for over a week now! they're fine in the run, but at night, they all manage to escape. I've secured all the areas and trimmed feathers. they hop and claw their way over the fence! It is a sight. They settled nicely inside the run though- they just leave at night. I have the craziest chickens ever. I was thinking of just closing them in for a full day- kinda like I do a new hen so she gets that this is home.

That's just what I was going to suggest....for 2-3 days maybe.

Might want to take that time and do something to keep them from going over the run walls.