Spotted an opossum, how much of a threat?

[Sunnysimplelife]

We clearly have an opossum liviing I think between our wall and our neighbors fence. I spotted the disgusting thing today with babies hang on its back. Yuck! We cannot get traps here any longer but I guess I am allowed to hire someone to remove it from our yard. We are in SoCal in a city. How much of a threat are they to my chickens? They are still sleeping in the garage at night as they are 4 weeks old but I am worried for them when they start staying out at night. Their enclosure is secure top and sides but it is chicken wire. Could one get through that size of hole. Here is a pic. The little hen house is in there now but not pictured here.

 

[Blue EE]

Possums kill chickens. They have up to 11 babies. Eventually they will get in your garage. Yes they can get thru chicken wire one nasty bite at a time. They will never make good pets. I have trapped and shot many this year. Good luck. At least you spotted it before a loss.

 

[nthehunt]

possums are def a threat, adults,chicks and eggs are all fair game as well as feed. Good news is they are by far the easiest varmints to catch. Set cage trap and dispatch. Use sardines, tuna or any smelly scraps.

 

[theFox]

Get something other than that chicken wire on that setup.

It is only good for keeping chickens on one side or the other, for all other uses it is useless.

 

[Sunnysimplelife]

Where we live you cannot trap and dispose yourself. You used to be able to rent the trap and animal control would come and get it but not any longer. Now you have to hire someone to come and do it and I suppose relocate it. So tomorrow I will be calling someone to come out and get rid of it. Ugh!

 

[Jaxon4141]

Why not spend the money your going to give to someone to trap it and send in on beefing up your fencing. If someone traps this one another will eventually come along and take its place. There are lot of opossums and raccoons even in the cities. I live where there are lots of both. I used heavy fencing and an apron around the outside and now I don't worried about them being around.

 

[Mattemma]

I have caught many on my property,but I have never had one attack the chickens or take eggs.I think coons are more of a risk.

Discusting? Oh come now see the beauty in them. I only have my drooling pic on this computer,but the babies are cute.The real little babies are uber neat.I have a video of pouch babies. Now I do agree the possum poop IS discusting.That stuff is sure to make you vomit if you get a whiff.

Trapping possums is easy.I get them with carrots and apples in the trap.Hope you don't have any losses.Me, I would trap it.The cost of paying someone is way to high.Do tell what the charge will be.

 

[Mattemma]

I agree that adding a stronger fencing to the coop would be a very good idea.

 

[darin367]

you can order a livetrap on amazon.com....... i may be mistaken, but i would think that you are able to protect your animals, but then again maybe not... there's no common sense anymore....... those possums are really easy to catch in a live trap.........

 

[nthehunt]

is it just the city you are in, or is the whole state of California backwards?