Possum stalking chickens!

[shannon84]

Never ever had a problem with predators in my 7 years of owning chickens. I got a huge Possum coming every night around their run and coop. Husband has been working while he shows up and I'm not good with a gun. So my question is are they good at getting in? He looks lazy moves slow.

 

[NatJ]

Get a Have-a-heart trap to catch him and relocate.

Relocating wild animals is illegal in some states, so anyone who is thinking of doing that should check the laws of their own state.

And even when relocation is legal, it might just cause that predator to become a problem for someone else.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Get a Have-a-heart trap to catch him and relocate. (If you are brave, they're not too hard to catch by hand. Just have something on so they can't bite you, and pick them up by the scruff of their neck.) They're not a major predator and often is after eggs, though will bite a chicken. I have had them get into one of my pens before, but if you have a secure coop, you shouldn't have to worry much.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Relocating wild animal is illegal in some states, so anyone who is thinking of doing that should check the laws of their own state.

Thanks for sharing this! I didn't know about that. I'll try to include this fact on anywhere I suggest to relocate.

And even when relocation is legal, it might just cause that predator to become a problem for someone else.

That's true. Try to relocate in a place far from any homes or farms if possible. Also don't relocate near busy highways.

 

[Nyhillbillies]

My experience !

 

[CFLRanching]

Shovels work well. Knock it out then decapitate. If he's there, he'll keep coming back every night until he gets what he is after. Though not as troublesome as a skunk or a coon, a varmit is a varmit.

 

[NatJ]

Coons are very good at figuring out how to get into locks. They can also climb well. I agree with needing to trap him. Boost your security, for sure.

OP said possum, not coon.

 

[NatJ]

@NatJ does it look secure?

I have no real experience with possums (or coons either.) So I'm somewhat guessing.

But nothing looks like a problem to me.

I suggest you go carefully over every spot where hardware cloth attaches to anything else, to check for any staples that might be too far apart or that might have worked loose. And you can try lifting a corner of the nestbox lid, to make sure it can't come up at an angle and let something climb in.

Good things I see:
--hardware cloth (stronger than chicken wire, with holes small enough to keep a predator's hands out too)
--staples that were hammered in to secure hardware cloth
--a latch on the nestbox lid, of a type that is said to be coon-proof and is probably possum-proof too.
--the run is covered
--there is a sturdy bottom edge, that should at least slow down any digging creature and will hopefully keep it entirely out

Hopefully someone with more experience will also chime in to either cofirm that it's good, or to point out any problems I may have missed. But you have certainly avoided several kinds of common problems

 

[SilverBirds]

What have you done to secure your coop?

 

[Nyhillbillies]

Coons are very good at figuring out how to get into locks. They can also climb well. I agree with needing to trap him. Boost your security, for sure.