Possums Visit

[Ascholten]

So I hear a thump and loud chicken noises, go running outside pulling my pants up, to find the door to the chicken coop wide open and the girls nowhere to be seen, with the exeption of one baby terrorized come bolting out the open door. disappearing into the dark.

I look inside and find a possum got in. See where it got in at and plan on killing possums later tonight. They will be back, they always do.

Two of the 5 girls and eventually the baby that ran out, came forward and I was able to account for them. No injuries that I can see, tho one has a bit of a scuff / bloodied top of her foot. Could have been from the thrashing to gtfo of town, it did not appear bite like.

The second baby and Capt Fluffy, I have NO idea where they want. Can't find them, not answering to clicks or anything, Possibly over the fence and I'll end up fetching from a neighbors yard tomorrow. I'll have to wait for some light to find them. I got a good glimpse of the possum in the coop as it walked back out where it snuck in at and off into the darkness. From what I seen no blood on it, was just poking around, but again, I KNOW it will be back. they always do.

Not a fun way to get woke up at 3 am. Great just what I wanted to do tomorrow, set up traps to rid the yard of undesireable neighbors.

Doesn't appear any of the girls got hurt. The one door on my coop I have it designed to do that, they get in a terror and slam on it, the side WILL pop right open so they can all run out. It worked as designed. Hopefully rounding THEM up is not a big issue and they are not afraid of the coop now.

Aaron.

 

[InterestingChickens]

Sad to hear about your unfortunate experience. Hopefully everything turns out well. Best wishes.

 

[dawg53]

Why not secure all doors so that nothing can get inside the coop?

 

[Ascholten]

Why not secure all doors so that nothing can get inside the coop?

There was a loose board under the nesting box, I seen on initial investigation, it pulled that down and got in that way. Otherwise once they are in for the night, it is pretty secure and something has to actually put effort into getting in

The door is not like it's flapping in the breeze, it's tight up there and stays shut, just that, lets say a terrified chicken is flying and flailing around and BANGS into the side of the coop in her efforts to fight off / get the hell outta dodge. That bang from the inside will be enough to pop that 'escape wall' open to let them out. Picture the equivalent of you putting a shoulder into pushing a door to open it.

IF something does manage to get in, I don't want them all 'trapped inside' so have this.

Possums typically come around a few times a year from my ongoing experiences here. Although they are pretty (D)umb, they are also pretty thorough and WILL eventually root through everything. It's just that time of year to trap them and be rid of them. My friend raises pigs, they love them. So does the compost heap TBH as well.

 

[WIchickMama]

Good luck huntin' opposums and looking for the two escapees

 

[Ascholten]

Well I got all the girls back. The young un, just 'appeared' so im thinking she hid in the bushes nearby, a GOOD thing. It means they know to go there for hawks too.
Capt Fluffy, I brought some mealworms to the table, heard flapping and there she was. This kind of tells me, she was probably way UP in the neighbors tree !!

All are accounted for,each one of them got brought to the table and got the lay on your back feet up and BEHAVE YOURSELF !! routine. Gave them all a good look over and nobody was attacked or harmed in any way, except the one scuffed foot I mentioned earlier. A paper towel with alcohol on it, a yank of a foot and angry peck tells me she'll be fine

Now to see if they goto the coop, I don't think they'll be afraid of it,

 

[Ascholten]

Oh man this is going to be an issue I can see.
i went outside this morning and seen piles of poop on my IBC totes. SOMEBODY is sleeping outside. WTF, did they kick the little ones out of the coop or what?

I went out there tonight and ALL of them are sleeping outside, NOBODY is in the coop. I rounded them all up talked to them nicely and put them all IN the coop for the night.

I am hoping that possum breaking in did not terrorize them to the point they don't want to sleep in the coop anymore. Or worse, that little MF is still coming back which is why they are outside, although there literally is nothing IN the coop that it would want No food, no eggs, nothing really. I have the coop locked up, and a few traps set outside. Unless it's getting in by digging or some other way I am not aware of, there should be no other way for that thing to get back in. If I hear any commotion tonight Ill be ready to dispatch that miserable thing once and for all. Possums get into crap,tear stuff up and are a danger to the chickens, they need to go, PERIOD.

They DO go in there to lay eggs though so are not afraid of the coop period, so I am hoping this is just some dumb idea some chickens got to sleep under the moon and it's over with shortly here.

On the good side, 3 of them WERE all bunched up, one adult and the 2 young, so they ARE sleeping together, and one of the adults pecked at me when i reached for one of the young, so that IS a good sign they are getting along.

Aaron

 

[Ascholten]

Ok, they win.
I put them all in the coop last night because it rained like stupid crap out. and they were outside, and and and....

They spent the entire night last night IN the coop, no problems, NO invaders, NO drama, just a nice dry night IN the coop.

I go outside just now and they ALL are right back where they were roosted OUTside when I found them yesterday.

I mean LITERALLY. in the EXACT same spot. The 3 girls are on the one tote. in the SAME ORDER they were sitting yesterday !!

The other two are sitting on the blueberry tote, IN THE SAME ORDER, as yesterday, like someone super glued them there, NOT moved an inch !!

Ok fine, sleep outside... whatever. when this squall line comes through in about an hour or so it looks like, it's YOUR ass getting soaked, not mine.....

As far as I know there are not any night winged predators around here..
We will see..

Aaron