More stinking possums

noway2

noway2

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Original link: https://carolinafirearmsforum.com/index.php?threads/chickens.114569/post-1905708

Had a problem of first finding broken, eaten eggs, and then lost 3/4 of my chickens to a possum.

Several weeks ago, I started having a problem finding broken / eaten eggs in the small (origina) coop that they were using as a nesting box. I assumed one hen had taken a liking to them, and shut the small coop up so they couldn’t lay in there (no broken ones found in big coop). The big coop gets locked up at night with the hens in it. It has a pad lock on the back door and a latch and carabiner on the ramp door. No, non human, animal is getting in there unless it’s a bear tearing the thing apart.

Around NY‘s eve, I saw a possum near the coop from the direction that we lost the other three of our original four chickens that were a 20th anniversary gift to my wife due to that possum. Hmm. We placed a cage trap out with some left over steak and stinky summer sausage as bait and caught a possum. It has been dealt with.

I take no pleasure in killing an animal doing its nature, but dammit, my chicken coop is off limits and their protection is my responsibility. Go eat snakes, mice, the neighbors feral cat, etc but leave my chickens alone.

Tomorrow, the trap is going back out just in case.
 
Opossums are beneficial to have around.

Your problem is with the old coop, not the possum. Consider relocating it instead of killing it or reinforcing/ditching the old coop .
 
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Shady Grady said:
Opossums are beneficial to have around.
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I agree, as long as they aren’t targeting my flock.
hp468 said:
Coop wrapped in hardware cloth and either hardware cloth or welded wire aprons around the bases of the coops to keep critters from digging.
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Just to clarify, there is the “coop” they’re in at night. Common predators are not getting in there. there is the 16x16 run cage they spend the day in, that I refer to as the coop. It needs to become more secure. The wife and I have plans for this and are thinking of having the house GC build something up for us with hardware cloth all around and a corrugated roof on top for rain, much like they built the “vestibule” for our trailer.
 
noway2 said:
I agree, as long as they aren’t targeting my flock.

Just to clarify, there is the “coop” they’re in at night. Common predators are not getting in there. there is the 16x16 run cage they spend the day in, that I refer to as the coop. It needs to become more secure. The wife and I have plans for this and are thinking of having the house GC build something up for us with hardware cloth all around and a corrugated roof on top for rain, much like they built the “vestibule” for our trailer.
Click to expand...

We have our bantams in hoop coops built with cattle panels, bottom 30-40" is wrapped in hardware cloth, front and back are hardware cloth as well. Could add 2x4 welded wire around the bottom of the sides, front, and rear for added security as well.
 
We have an opossum around here who I call frank. Frank gets into our trash cans on a nightly basis. He's a pretty cool dude. Usually doesn't make a mess. Just helps himself to some leftovers. As far as I can tell he doesn't mess with the chicken coop. I guess he's satisfied with our garbage.

My two gsd's get to free-range. They LOVE to chase deer, squirrels and pretty much anything else. They treat frank like he's one of our cats or something. They have gotten so used to seeing him that they will look right at him and just look back at me like "oh that's just frank, he's cool" it makes me chuckle every time they see him and choose to do nothing.
 
Put the opossums in a rabbit style cage so you can feed them corn and fruit scraps for a few weeks and they will make some pretty good vittles. My dog Lucie hates them and has killed several over the years when they wasn't quick enough to get up a tree.
 
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