Possums are Chicken Killers

[stgeorge]

Personally, I'm not sure killing them is the answer- I know it probably feels good when they are destructive to your hens, but there are lots more where that one came from!

We just have a pretty simple hot wire running around our coop at about 6" from the ground, and then another at about 30" and have had zero trouble- if any opossums have ever ventured towards our coop, that 6" wire is at the perfect height to give them a jolt (actually, a joule!).

 

[GAchickennewbie]

I have a possum who comes in my backyard. He has never messed with any of my hens and I know they eat ticks, so unless he gives me a reason, he is welcome on my property.

I have a very strong fear of rabies and we do have a "higher than average" rabies problem in our area. My personal research states that it is extremely rare for possum to contract and spread the virus.

My neighbor's unaltered male cat has made himself more of a pest than this possum because the cat sprayed my coop and I absolutely can't stand that smell. Also, the cat has tried to initiate confrontation with my altered male cat who only goes outside for a few hours when I'm home into my FENCED IN BACKYARD. The possum has done nothing to cause problems.

Everyone has a right to do what is best for them and their flock personally. I'd just prefer to have a possum around as opposed to a fox or skunk, who are huge carriers of the rabies virus in my area.

 

[The 2 Chicks]

We have a mouse problem! They come in to the hen house at night and eat the food and drink the water. The mice are putting the hens in stress and the hens aren't laying. What can I do to get rid of the mice??? We have 9 hens, and we are only getting two eggs each day. We was getting 8 to 9 a day. We need some help. Thank you.

 

[mrjd1981]

We have a mouse problem! They come in to the hen house at night and eat the food and drink the water. The mice are putting the hens in stress and the hens aren't laying. What can I do to get rid of the mice??? We have 9 hens, and we are only getting two eggs each day. We was getting 8 to 9 a day. We need some help. Thank you.

I have a possum who comes in my backyard. He has never messed with any of my hens and I know they eat ticks, so unless he gives me a reason, he is welcome on my property.

I have a very strong fear of rabies and we do have a "higher than average" rabies problem in our area. My personal research states that it is extremely rare for possum to contract and spread the virus.

My neighbor's unaltered male cat has made himself more of a pest than this possum because the cat sprayed my coop and I absolutely can't stand that smell. Also, the cat has tried to initiate confrontation with my altered male cat who only goes outside for a few hours when I'm home into my FENCED IN BACKYARD. The possum has done nothing to cause problems.

Everyone has a right to do what is best for them and their flock personally. I'd just prefer to have a possum around as opposed to a fox or skunk, who are huge carriers of the rabies virus in my area.

I had a major rat issue. But it has been solved. First is to figure out how they get in and where they go when they are done. Place bait traps out of chickens reach or use safe bait traps. I have a camera in my coop and watched how they moved in and out. When they entered I went out with my gamo air rifle and waited for them to climb out the hole I found them using. Was able to get two like that. But 6 more in snap traps. Found them using my workshop insulation as their nest and had to remove all of it. Reseal holes and replace. Since then no more rats. Find their home and destroy it. Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

 

[lilapot]

Oh no oh no oh no!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A baby possum got into our coop,so there must be a litter.
I know that possums can be deadly to chickens because once during the year I lived in Georgia all of our friend's chickens got killed in 2 weeks.Noteey had 70 chickens.

How should we get rid of them? Our family is rather uncomfortable killing animals,because we're vegetarians, so what should I do?

 

[bigoledude]

Here is a link to a "Dog-proof coon trap". It is the perfect method for catching coons and possums.

http://www.rpoutdoors.com/dudpcotr.html

I have no affiliation with the makers or sellers of traps of any kind.

I bait the trap with fish guts and strawberry preserves. Of course sardines or tuna would work as well. This trap is by far the best trap we've found for catching coons and possums. You will never accidently catch a dog or cat in it. I have said it many times here in "Predators and Pests" the vast majority of chicken killings here in our area is committed by possums. This is not speculation or opinion. We catch them on game cams.

There are posters here who discourage the killing of predators. One claim they always make is that "more will replace the ones you kill". The other argument they use is "It's not their fault, it's just their nature to kill for their food". Again, it's simple math and simple science.

Science; Dead predators won't/can't kill any more chickens.

Math; One less predator is ONE LESS!!

It is embedded in the predator's DNA to kill for it's food. It is for this reason I kill all threats to my stock. You see, it is embedded in my DNA to protect me and mine.

Walmart sells pellet rifles that shoot pellets over 1000 feet per second. This is a great and quieter method for dispatching everything from mice to dog-sized animals. It is important to make sure the pellet gun shoots at least 1000 FPS.

 

[Mechman0124]

Personally, I'm not sure killing them is the answer- I know it probably feels good when they are destructive to your hens, but there are lots more where that one came from!

Nasty things, possums.. I lost a dog to one a few years ago. A huge old possum bit my Terrier in the snout and he suffered from an ugly infection and passed away, even with veterinary care. The possum could have retreated but it decided to go on the offensive.. That, and the yearly destruction of anything sweet in my garden (low-hanging tomatos, cantaloupes, watermelons, etc,), has convinced me to adopt a no-tolerance strategy for dealing with them.

I keep a trap baited year-round and euthanize when I catch 'em. A quick jab with a sharp longsword (it fits through the cage) to the heart/lung has them out like a light in less than a minute. I used to catch 3 or 4 a week when I first started trapping a year ago. Now it is weeks or months between catching one and I only ever get small adolescents that must be wandering in looking for new territory.

I don't have any more garden mayhem so it seems like consistently trapping and disposing of them will reduce a population enough that we won't have any trouble. I live in Texas so it's legal for me to take care of them myself; you might want to check into your local laws if you live elsewhere. I'd highly recommend "exerting some negative pressure" on their population if you can. They are cute and I certainly feel bad for them.. Just not bad enough to risk having my chickens, pets, and children share the property with them. If you have neighbors, I'm sure they would appreciate your efforts.

 

[mammashutt]

Hi to everyone. New to this love of chickens. Had a few hens when I was about 8 but now Im almost 50 and I jumped into "Chickens" again. Too fast this time. Got four hens and  my family fell for them. Built a nice "house" for them. Backyard was fenced in and they seemed very happy. Have not seen a coon for many years. No one warned me and never read about it but I lost them to a possum. Blamed my dog and wife initially. Got three more hens thinking it was my dog  and lost two more during the night. Caught the possum the next night.  He is gone. My lone survivor goes to bed about 7 and is locked in every night. Hope others can learn from my mistake.

 

[equinegirl]

Hi to everyone. New to this love of chickens. Had a few hens when I was about 8 but now Im almost 50 and I jumped into "Chickens" again. Too fast this time. Got four hens and my family fell for them. Built a nice "house" for them. Backyard was fenced in and they seemed very happy. Have not seen a coon for many years. No one warned me and never read about it but I lost them to a possum. Blamed my dog and wife initially. Got three more hens thinking it was my dog and lost two more during the night. Caught the possum the next night. He is gone. My lone survivor goes to bed about 7 and is locked in every night. Hope others can learn from my mistake.

I came home to find two out of 17 hens dead, their heads gone. three hen in house and the rest mia.

 

[equinegirl]

I came home to find two out of 17 hen dead with heads gone, three hens in the house and the rest mia...hopefully they're roosting high in a tree safe until morning when I can look after them. Does anyone know what does this?