Possum stalking chickens!

[DLA]

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.

Did you have any luck at getting rid of your possum? What did you finally do?

I had the same thing happen to me today. Darn thing was just wandering around checking out my girls at about 5pm like I wasn't standing right there watching it. They aren't the brightest creatures. But my possum won't be back - lead poisoning.

 

[shannon84]

Did you have any luck at getting rid of your possum? What did you finally do?

I had the same thing happen to me today. Darn thing was just wandering around checking out my girls at about 5pm like I wasn't standing right there watching it. They aren't the brightest creatures. But my possum won't be back - lead poisoning.

He eventually went away on his own. I set out a trap and he just never came back! Thank God!

 

[TOR]

He eventually went away on his own. I set out a trap and he just never came back! Thank God!

If your Run, coop are secure enough animals (predators) will come by. If there is no meal they will move on eventually.
Possum are more opportunist, not that a possum will not attack or eat a chicken. Given the chance a possum will. A adult possum will.
I notice the the bottom of your run. Looks like brick or block. If the brick or block is not fastened it is possible a animal could pull the brick, dig make it loose than pull it. Raccoon are pretty crafty that way.
The biggest thing you can do is get a game camera, you might be surprised what animals come lurking about at night.

 

[cubalaya]

possums will kill chickens. they will kill chicks. they are the most abundant predator that we have around here. i trap and kill many every year. is my coop secure? i have electric fence that keeps out bear, fox, coyote, and dogs but somehow possums still get in. maybe they are too dumb to know they are being shocked. a few year back i had a huge boar possum kill my oldest and very valuable asil hen. he was so big he couldnt fit in my trap. i would watch the trap at night and when he came, i went out with my shotgun and every time he would disapear when i went outside. i finally figured out that he was jumping on the side of a tree, hiding from me. i shot him out of the tree. i never relocate any coon or possum. i kill them

 

[DLA]

possums will kill chickens. they will kill chicks. they are the most abundant predator that we have around here. i trap and kill many every year. is my coop secure? i have electric fence that keeps out bear, fox, coyote, and dogs but somehow possums still get in. maybe they are too dumb to know they are being shocked. a few year back i had a huge boar possum kill my oldest and very valuable asil hen. he was so big he couldnt fit in my trap. i would watch the trap at night and when he came, i went out with my shotgun and every time he would disapear when i went outside. i finally figured out that he was jumping on the side of a tree, hiding from me. i shot him out of the tree. i never relocate any coon or possum. i kill

possums will kill chickens. they will kill chicks. they are the most abundant predator that we have around here. i trap and kill many every year. is my coop secure? i have electric fence that keeps out bear, fox, coyote, and dogs but somehow possums still get in. maybe they are too dumb to know they are being shocked. a few year back i had a huge boar possum kill my oldest and very valuable asil hen. he was so big he couldnt fit in my trap. i would watch the trap at night and when he came, i went out with my shotgun and every time he would disapear when i went outside. i finally figured out that he was jumping on the side of a tree, hiding from me. i shot him out of the tree. i never relocate any coon or possum. i kill them

I

possums will kill chickens. they will kill chicks. they are the most abundant predator that we have around here. i trap and kill many every year. is my coop secure? i have electric fence that keeps out bear, fox, coyote, and dogs but somehow possums still get in. maybe they are too dumb to know they are being shocked. a few year back i had a huge boar possum kill my oldest and very valuable asil hen. he was so big he couldnt fit in my trap. i would watch the trap at night and when he came, i went out with my shotgun and every time he would disapear when i went outside. i finally figured out that he was jumping on the side of a tree, hiding from me. i shot him out of the tree. i never relocate any coon or possum. i kill them

The big possum I had wouldn't go in the trap despite trying many different bait. It was quite large also. I finally just followed it from a distance and found where it was denning up (old groundhog burrow). Sat there patiently till it poked it's head back out then shot it. Nice thing about that is I didn't have to try and dig a hole to bury it in half frozen soil. Just threw some lime on it and filled in the entrance to the den with some big rocks. I know there will be more, there always are.