Possums

[MissChessy]

Well, goodness me, this morning I went out to feed my flock some scratch grains as I do this everyday, when lo and behold in their water bucket was a baby possum swimming!!!

The hens had picked all the hair off the possum. My dear husband pushed the thing down into the water and drowned it. We buried it in the garden. This is our second possum. The first was found in the hen house under their feed trough. Have no idea how they are getting into the hen house and the chicken run???? I never dreamed I would see these critters that close.

 

[Freckle Face Farm]

I came home from my sisters yesterday and had a baby possum running down the fence on ths chicken run. I opened my door and said get it and my 3 jacks killed it I was so proud...

 

[Cetawin]

ICK. Well they are excellent climbers and can squeeze through pretty small places. Roof eaves areas are popular entrances for them, they are diggers so getting in the run or climbing over if it is not covered.

Sounds like you have a family of them nearby.

 

[calicokat]

We have one that has taken up under our back porch. Been there for a couple years now -- and seems to have displaced the little skunk family that lived there previously.

I must confess a soft spot for them because DH has spinal/nerve damage and his walking is just a bit off balance, running is downright comical. One night when he spooked one, I realized that he & the oppossum look about the same when walking/running! Even he had to laugh

~kat

 

[Big Red's Mom]

They can and will injure and kill you chickens.......My brother in law sat up all night to find out what had been getting in and killing his adult barred rock hens. It was a small possum. It got in the smallest hole. He said if he would not have seen it with his own eyes he would not thought it possible. He killed that one and not two hours later another one got in and was after a hen. They like to attack at night while the chickens are on the roost and the usually do it from above.

The chickens they killed had been ripped open and the breast eaten and some other of the insides. They got 6 of his 9 before he killed all the possum. (some hens he had to put down because the had really bad injuries)

So be careful with possums around you chickens. Good luck.