Possums are Chicken Killers

[PrairieChickens]

Opossums are curious creatures. It's like they're predators only if they absolutely HAVE to be, but otherwise they can't be bothered.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Had a possum in the neighborhood. First it was living in a neighbor's BBQue pit, then another neighbor'sBBQue pit, then mine. Ran it off with the "jet" setting of my water hose, then it moved to a neighbor's wood pile. Ran it off again. Finally, it began living in a jar on my back porch. I know these creatures can hurt my girls and my dog was waking me up barking every night when the creature would come out of the jar. It had knocked over the plant stand on top of the jar. So last night I put a cement stepping stone over the opening of the jar, but couldn't remove the plant stand without getting my hand too close to those teeth. So I duct taped the plant stand, stepping stone and jar all together and hauled that thing far far away to woods and released it. I just couldn't shoot it, but if it had hurt the hens I would have shot it. Here's my duct taped contrapcion. At least it's gone. Fortunately, I lock up my girls very predator proof at night and put away the food, but I figured it was just a matter of time before that thing hurt a hen, or dog or cat or granddaughter. Good bye, good ridence!

 

[Garilyn Bardash]

Okay, so there was a HUGE opossum out behind the house last night. Well....HUGE as in bigger than the 15# dog that was worrying it into a corner but really didn't want to have to deal with those T E E T H !!!!

Aargh.

So....what is a person to do? How do I get rid of opossums? I think the chickens are safe in their coop and run, so I'm not too worried about them, but it's never certain, and it seems like this is the second or third time in the past month that the dogs have insisted that I get up out of bed in the middle of the night and "Do something about it"....

I don't have any guns, and I don't have the hand strength for a pistol anyway. I'm afraid if I set a trap I'll catch a dozen or so friendly cats. I'm wondering about something like a taser? Hmmmm....I just Googled them, and they are expensive....

Aargh....

Susan

too funny! i can just see you chasing an opossum around trying to taser it! quite a sight i'm sure!

 

[Emmalion]

I always knew these guys would kill chickens but I think I have just solved my low egg count. For about a month now I have had a very low egg count from my girls. I just thought well they are molting so that is the problem. Until tonight. Not only am I out trying to find my missing dog but I come home to one snooping around my coop. I hadn't even closed the door for the night and there he was stalking.

I chased him off and closed everyone up and made sure all was well. Just to head back out and just before getting into the car I hear the clang of metal. Yep hes back at the coop. Found him at the top of the runs fence. Lets just say he wont be back stealing my eggs ever again.

Hes been around for awhile but has never caused problems. I usually just let the dogs after him and run him off.

 

[bigoledude]

We have more chickens killed by possums in this area than all other predators combined. We trap them with these type traps.

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

These traps will only catch animals that have a sorta hand-like front paw. These traps will not catch dogs (hence the DP trap Dog-Proof)) or cats. They will catch coons, possums and skunks. I wonder if they’ll catch weasels, minks and other members of the weasel family?

The trap trigger must be grabbed and “pulled upward” to fire the trap. I use for bait a mixture of fish guts or sardines and strawberry or grape preserves. Just poke the bait down into the cylinder portion of the trap with a stick. I drop a couple of small globs of the bait around the trap to make them want more. They cannot resist the food!

I never relocate possums. They either cause problems for someone else or they rarely survive the fights that come with being forced into other possum’s territory.

 

[emilee427]

I got lucky tonight and caught him! He did get an egg but my broodies are safe now

 

[BOATMAN]

Possums are great baked with sweet potatoes. No hormones or additives.

 

[BrittanyLee]

We see possums in our small yard weekly and I'm terrified for my chickens cause they're so young and small still! Luckily my dog has killed two possums already. It's just very scary to know that they can get into chicken coops!!

 

[hfchristy]

We've had a woodchuck (we think) under our shed for a few years. Keep filling the entrances with rocks, blocking with heavy logs to send the message that it's not a great home...
Tonight we were out there and noticed a fresh entrance. Looked closer and I saw a glimpse of pink snout sticking out. After looking at pictures of everything it might be, I'm pretty sure we have an opossum.
From what I've read, they like to use old burrows, so I think it really was a woodchuck last year and this guy is new.

Questions:
Is it a threat to kids & cats?

Are there any specific things I should double check about my coop, knowing that there's an opossum living 3 ft away? The house is pretty solidly built, and has 1/2 inch hardware cloth everywhere, but the door has a bit of wiggle to it. How big a space can an opossum squeeze through? Are they likely to rip off hardware cloth?

How much digging do they do? We have a portable enclosure for daytime. More of the 1/2 inch hardware cloth, but no floor. How much of a risk are we taking if we continue to use this, but in the middle of the sunny yard, far from the edge of the woods where the shed is?


Our birds (ducks) are pretty messy with their food, so I don't know that we can eliminate that source of interest, but I hadn't thought about water being an attraction. We'll be dumping that at night, now, instead of doing it right before we refill in the morning!

Christy

 

[emilee427]

We have opossums all the time here. I'd say, if your cats go after them they will defend and will probably kill your cat. They are nocturnal so I don't think the kids will be bothered by it. As far as digging...they are more of a climber. Our coop has no floor and nothing has attempted to get in unless the door is left open. They are more of an opportunity nuisance. Trash, pet food, eggs that are unattended, etc.