Caught an opossum attacking chickens.

[Skillet]

Just before dusk last night, I heard my hens start freaking out. I grabbed the gun and ran out there, thinking we had a fox or something in the run. Strange because it was still light out. Not even time to lock them away for the night yet.

Turned out to be a huge male opossum. He had grabbed one of the girls in the coop somehow, and was trying to drag her away.

I ended his career quickly.

Chicken seems to be ok. She had a few cuts, but she's ok this morning.

I had no idea they were predators. I knew they went after the chicken feed and the eggs, but I thought that was it. A full grown chicken is not a small target.

Anyone ever seen one kill something?

Edited August 14, 2022 by Skillet

[sbuff]

No but the opossum I took care of was eating all my green tomatoes.  

 

[Daveboone]

With the mild winters they seem to expand northwards...a good cold old fashioned winter kicks em back. They arent built for the cold.

[G-Man]

Hate possums with a passion they have no purpose ( bs they eat ticks) they only eat ticks on themselves. Omnivores  they eat anything.

[wolc123]

I caught this one in my sweetcorn last week, a female with a pouch full of wee ones. 
 

[airedale]

I had one get into my coop years ago, my Airedale alerted me something was going on outside one night. Slipped on my boots and grabbed a flashlight and we went out the door and immediately could hear squawking coming from the chicken coop. Looked through the wire and could see a big possum had a Rooster by a leg, even with me shinning the light on him and the Airedale going berserk he would not let go of that Rooster. I opened the door and the Airedale went in grabbed him by the head and it was bone crunching time and all over for the possum. The Rooster had some pretty severe damage to his leg, within a few days infection had set in and he died.

When you raise poultry it is like ringing the dinner bell for every stinking varmint in the area.

Edited August 14, 2022 by airedale

[jperch]

My GF used to keep ducks, they would go into the barn at night.  A possum (or two) wiped them out.  After that she changed her mind about them, they were disposed of.  They have a good set of choppers.

[Paula]

Those and racoons. I had no idea till I seen it on camera last year that they would kill chickens

[Pygmy]

Over many years of raising poultry, I never had any problems I could  attribute to possums... I do know they are opportunists and capable of taking poultry, but I had most of my problems with coons and some with  foxes and birds of prey....