What to do with a possum in the coop?

[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.

 

[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

 

[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"!

 

[cmom]

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

When I was a kid that was our family entertainment to go to the local dump. My dad would go over to the piles and throw cans around. He made us stay in the car. Before long the critters would come out, bears mostly back then.

 

[Folly's place]

We were college age idiots, mostly, and didn't stay in the car. Wanted to see those black bears, skunks, raccoons, etc up close!
Mary

 

[cmom]

When I was a kid that was our family entertainment to go to the local dump. My dad would go over to the piles and throw cans around. He made us stay in the car. Before long the critters would come out, bears mostly back then.

This was back in the 1950's.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

My idea involves a axe and a trash bag.⛏No more opossum

 

[David61]

I have a pellet gun/air rifle, not a toy. I dig a hole and plant them. They don't grow back.

 

[CanadaEh]

there is no point of killing or relocating the predator unless it had a taste of your chickens. Quite opposite, you should value the predator who you were lucky to be given an opportunity to teach a memorable lesson to stay away from the coop before anything really bad could happen.

We have had 2 coons getting into chicken run over 10' fence (before it was electrified) one night and forgetting how to get out and going on to the coop roof instead and back and providing a bb gun target for at least an hour. They had to be eventually released by opening the run door. There are still coons around raiding neighbors trash bags etc, but not on our property for over a year now. Killing those 2 would just cause some other untrained once to move in.