Possum Question

[ChixMama]

Will possums bother chickens during the day or just at night? We had seen possums before we had chickens, but we have a LARGE one my husband saw on the back porch a couple of weeks ago in the middle of the night. Last night night when I went to close up the run (a little late) it was about 15' away from the run in the yard! After a stare down (and me being scared to death it would "charge" at me

) it trotted away--probably living behind our shed. I usually let the chickens out of the run to have free time in the yard from around 4:00 pm to around 8:00 pm....do we have a problem before it gets dark? Does the dog need to stay out there with them when they are in the yard? The "girls" are part family & I just want to make sure they are as safe as possible.

 

[little brown hen]

They will kill your chickens and eat the egg's. They usually come out at dusk. If I see one in the day time I know there is something wrong with it. Keep the dog out till everyone is in and locked up tight.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

They r nocturnal, they will go through your whole flock if given time. Also check the house good before closing it. They will hide inside.

 

[ChixMama]

Thanks lbr...guess the dog will be on possum patrol in the evenings!

 

[Agdketo]

When I got home from work this morning, I went out to the run like I always do, and counted my hens, geese, and ducks. My dog was sniffing around pretty good, so I knew he had caught the scent of something. Well, it turned out to be a possum in a hog shed that we store stuff in, and it's part of the coops fence. They'll destroy your flock. Don't be scared of them. Just keep a metal pipe, gun, or something to kill it with by the door or whatever and you'll be good. Gotta make sure it's actually dead though, because they're smart critters and they'll play dead. They'll even deficate to make it seem convincing. Ugh. They're disgusting creatures and I hate em.

 

[ChixMama]

They are disgusting creatures! I feel good about the run (hardware cloth aproned out and up to the top over chain link), but I want the "girls" to be able to have safe yard time in the afternoons. I'm not looking forward to the time change. They can't be let out in the mornings because there's been a large cat prowling around lately. Guess I need to look in the garage/shed for a weapon since a gun is out of the question....or maybe a trap. Thanks for the feedback!

 

[gpwelding1]

when my wife bought our first hen and roo they were put into the fenced in lot.this was before our coop was done.within a few hours,rite at dusky dark,she went out to check on them.i was at work,but she sent me a text telling me she had just seen a coon come from back there.ends up he had killed the hen,pretty orphington hen.the rooster,a wyandot,luckily made it ok.
since then we have added another roo and 7 more hens.i still havnt seen the coon again,but night before last i opened the door to go out and there was a possum.since the first incedent i carry a gun when i go out from late evening on.so needles to say,that possum is no longer a problem.