Possum killed a hen last night - the rest ran off. Do they ever return?

[cafarmgirl]

It sounds like the OP lives in town so using a gun is probably not an option.

 

[Oel99]

Will raccoons grab ducks at night and carry them off? I lost several grown call ducks from a fenced in yard a couple of years ago. They always disappeared at night and there were no feathers or anything left. Coons had been seen in the area. I wondered if the coons were grabbing them at night and carrying them over the fence and taking them somewhere else to eat them.

 

[gauthierpeeps]

Yes, the one that came to our Hen house came every 4 nights and won't come again after coming last night. We repaired the coop and set a trap with cat food. We live in the country so there may be more so we will be watching for them!

 

[gauthierpeeps]

Sorry, somehow didn't get it all in one post. The Opossum that came to our coop dug under the fence and wood that was in the ground then killed the Hen in the coop. At first we weren't sure what was doing the killing then 4 nights later he came again.

 

[sumu]

LOL - Mine did the same thing with the mealworm jar. They are too far or too dead to hear that. If they don't come when I call, then they are gone. I was able to find some Araucana-Marans mix. chicks.
Thanks,
Suzanne

 

[sumu]

Exacly right. No guns here. Otherwise, I would have no compunction in shooting it. However, I will live trap it and drive it out to the reserve kept by the University. It can fend for itself there.

 

[sumu]

I think that opposums will kill almost any bird up to its own size. I used to think they only went after eggs, but no longer.

 

[gauthierpeeps]

I was surprised how small the Opossum was because the Hen it killed was 3 times it's size. So far we haven't seen anymore culprits they know better now

 

[sumu]

Yeah! I was surprised at how big a critter the possum could take down. What it did was quite gross.