'Possums?

[Madcap621]

Are Opossums a threat to chickens? We have them fairly frequently here. My Toy Fox Terrier usually takes care of the problem, tho'

 

[farmin'chick]

Absolutely. They will eat eggs, they will eat chickens. They will attack them on the roost if they can get in, they will pull them through the fence like raccoons do. Bad possums! Bad! Bad!

 

[NateinFL]

I wondered the same, I've never had a loss from them, but do put them out when I catch them just in case, but wondered if it was necessary, now I feel better, sorta.

 

[SteveH]

I lost nearly all of my small flock on my first experience and so far only adult attempt at raising chickens . Live trapping resulted in first a possum and then a skunk . I don't recommend live trapping a skunk unless you own a rifle , and willing to haul a very eye watering trap to a deep creek to be washed by the current for awhile . Tomatoe juice for skunk spray does not work as well as I was told

The free ranging chickens of my youth were guarded by a dog night and day . Many dogs stayed outside loose back then year around , sleeping in one of the out buildings if it needed shelter . A dog that wandered off the property and got into mischef usually ended up not coming home ; maybe got one lesson about bothering livestock at home before us kids would be told " He ran away " . I do remember one bad loss to a weasel on our penned meat birds even with the best dog we had , but I'm thinking that was either while he was a puppy or just before we got him . I'm studying posts now on BYC because I prefer to go in to the next attempt with a little more knowledge from younger but more experienced " chicken people " [ Not using that term in a derogatory manner ]

 

[duck walk]

oh heck yeah! I recently lost almost all of my older flock to a family of "possums...I trapped and shot 7 of the ugly things and the killing of my birds stopped...they were tenacious and probed and found every weak spot...I would fix one spot and they would find another way to get in the coop...the only thing that stopped it was when I trapped them...they killed and ate my hens...stole them off the roost at night when the girls were sleeping...nasty things...my pretty rooster Walter died from his wounds when they tried to take him...he had a hunk taken out of the back of his neck and all of his tail feathers were yanked out...I know he gave them a run for the money and they did not get to eat him, but he died anyway...I still set two traps at night...just in case...

 

[the4heathernsmom]

oh yea they will kill in a heartbeat!!!!