Possums!

[Bernard]

Sorry but I have seen possums crawl out of a dead cows rear, there is no way I will handle them alive.

 

[rooster-red]

Quote:
I wouldn't handle one like that either!

 

[Rosalind]

Crikey, red rooster! How do you walk with 'em that big? Picking up anything with that many teeth bare-handed, I think you get the Spine of Steel award for the day.

This possum was somewhat smaller and thinner. Looked like a teenager, still smallish enough to be a bit cute in a beady-eyed way, big enough to be on his own.

I don't think I'd have the guts to pick him up bare-handed. Anyway, he stank to high heaven--my dog was trying to track him by scent, and I swear my dog couldn't smell a fart in an outhouse in August. Smelled like he came right out of the neighbor's garbage. I know he didn't come out of our garbage, we've got a fancy garbage can that is bungee-corded shut.

There have been a lot less field mice and shrews around, I notice. I put a whole bag of birdseed in the woodshop and two weeks later it was still nearly full. So I guess they are eating the mice. I still don't want him in my chicken coop!

 

[claud]

I've had 'possums coming in my coop almost every winter for about 8 years. I never lost any chickens to them. I agree that possums are opportunists in the feeding department - I'd be very surprised to see a possum take something fast like a mouse or rat. A sleeping chicken? maybe. They love eggs. I have a marble stone egg in one of the nest boxes that has teeth marks in it - I wonder what that possum thought when he was trying to eat THAT one? I usually live-trap and relocate them if they are taking eggs(although I once caught a skunk by accident - they like eggs too).
I think they are beneficial animals really - cleaning up dead things. They generally don't carry rabies either(something about their body temp being too low to support the virus).

 

[IHeartChickens]

OMG Rooster Red! I would not have beleived it if I had not seen the pics. You must be pretty sure of yourself around those critters. I would have been freaked out by all those teeth. Dang!

 

[Wildsky]

OMG Red, are you CRAZY...?


(Ok I know the answer to that, nevermind!)

Sheesh....................................