What to do with a possum in the coop?

[Marrianna]

I found a possum occupied the open coop when last night I went to check on the hens and they didn’t want to go inside the coop. The possum climbed to the top wall of the coop and didn’t want to leave no matter how I pulled it with a bending stick. I put the hens to the roosting chamber from the outside door，and manually closed the auto-door between the coop and the roosting chamber, so that I isolated them at night，and put a squirrel trap in the coop in hope to trap the possum and relocate it found that not successful this morning Then I let the hen out through the outside door and still have a possum resting in the corner of the coop. What should I do with it if the trap is too small to trap it？ it’s reluctant to move when I poke it， thanks！

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
You will need a larger live trap, one that fits raccoons, and bait it with cat food or something meaty. Then if it's legal where you live, shoot it!
Laws vary, so look up what your options are in your state and county. If you release it, returns are likely, and the live trap may not catch it again.
Relocating it may be illegal where you live, so see what works in your area. No other owner of poultry or horses will welcome this critter, and with winter here, strange surroundings probably will be fatal, but slowly, not a better outcome.
And redo your coop defenses if necessary! This is one reason why we've never used an automatic door, because having a predator in the coop at bed time is not good.
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

When our birds free range, the coop/run combo is wide open. Part of closing them in at night, doing the bird count, also includes looking for unwanted visitors.
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

Good to know.
When I was a whole lot younger, I was told that 'if you pick a skunk up by it's tail, it can't spray'. So, one dark night, some of us camp counselors on our night off, were at a local open pit dump, watching the wildlife. this was accepted entertainment back then, Up North.
There was this half grown skunk, we got close to him, and I picked him up as directed, and carried him to the car, we drive to camp, and put him in a big cage. one of the other counselors adopted him and took him home. he never did spray.
At that time, long ago, it was still legal, and we had no idea how stupid and dangerous it was to do this.
'Young and dumb' describes it!!!
Mary

 

[DobieLover]

I found a possum occupied the open coop when last night I went to check on the hens and they didn’t want to go inside the coop. The possum climbed to the top wall of the coop and didn’t want to leave no matter how I pulled it with a bending stick. I put the hens to the roosting chamber from the outside door，and manually closed the auto-door between the coop and the roosting chamber, so that I isolated them at night，and put a squirrel trap in the coop in hope to trap the possum and relocate it found that not successful this morning Then I let the hen out through the outside door and still have a possum resting in the corner of the coop. What should I do with it if the trap is too small to trap it？ it’s reluctant to move when I poke it， thanks！

You can contact a Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator to come remove the opossum. In most states, you have to be licensed to take nuisance wildlife.
Alternatively, you can use a pair of long thick leather welders gloves and yank him out of the run and place him as far as you can away from the chickens.
How did he get in? Can you take some pictures of him and the set up?
You want to secure your coop and run so he, and any other predator, cannot get back in.

 

[cmom]

See if there is a wildlife rescue in your area. I had an owl that had killed some birds. I moved the birds and it came back. I caught it accidentally and a wildlife rescue came and got it. They said they had a release area so it shouldn't come back. Good luck...

 

[cassie]

I would just grab it by the tail and haul it outside.

 

[Folly's place]

I have never personally grabbed a live opossum by the tail and hauled it anywhere. Does it work? Safely? They do have nice big sharp teeth!
Mary

 

[cassie]

I have never personally grabbed a live opossum by the tail and hauled it anywhere. Does it work? Safely? They do have nice big sharp teeth!
Mary

It did for me. Also, if you spook them they will fall over like they are dead and then you can pick them up and put them anywhere you like.

 

[Jenwisp]

My father "rescued" an opossum when we were kids from a pit in our back yard. He just put on his usual work gloves and got in there and grabbed it. Darn thing was hissing and angry the whole time but he just "got it done". lol

I forgot they "play possum"!