chickens making a fuss in all the cages, usually just 1 or 2 of the Roo's. The girls and I just headed out there to put some rats in high gear. The were about 10 of them grrrrrrrrrr. Normally I just take the dogs into the big coop and the smaller big coop. Tonight I was so mad I ran them through all the coops/pens. I opened the silkies pen last and there was a huge Oppossum clinging to the top of the inside of the door. I can't figure out how it got in there. The 2 smaller cages are the most secure as they are hvy metal wire exercise cages put together attached to 2 x 4's and big steel rods. Entire roof covered with chicken wire j-clamped to together, no breaks found, 8' of the roof has plywood over the wire. I found no chicken wire breaks and it didn't dig in anywhere. I am freaking here because I don't know how it got inside. I am proud of my boys they encircled the hens who I was letting sit the eggs 1 more day in the back corner of the coop. I noticed their food bowl was nearly empty. Guess it wanted their food more than them for food and I thanked God for not letting harm come to them. I don't think I will sleep a wink tonight worrying. I grabbed that thing by the tail and slung it away. The dogs wanted rats and not oppossum tonight so I didn't see where it went. I have to finish getting the ground wire down so DH can put the electric wire around all the cages
OMG Yall
I had a lot of problems with possum here.. Food was just disappearing so fast, I knew something was up. Eggs were gone too. I was sitting on my back porch and watched one slip through a crack in the fence and if I didn't see it, there is no way I would believe how that thing got through what looked to be 3 or 4" max.. It turned sideways and just slid through like it was jello.
It will be back.. You will need to eliminate it or relocate it far far away.
I'm sorry you have to deal with this.. at least you didn't loose any birds.
I went back out a hr later with my gun but didn't see it. The night before I was out shooting my gun at 2 a.m. to make the coyotes leave. It is just so strange that for 5 yrs I have been raising my Exotic Duck and have never had a predator even attempt to get in. Now with chickens the coyotes keep coming
of course it is pouring rain so I can't go over the silkies pen in the light of day. Hoping for a short break to look it over but supposed to be all day
Coyotes have become an increasing threat in many areas due to the rampant development that is taking away their normal habitat and food supply. Blame the flight from the cities.
if you have a hav-a-hart trap you can put that out. We've caught Opossums using sardines.
Oh Donna, so sorry to hear about your troubles! It seems to always happen that way. You can go for months andmonths even years with no predator problems, then all of a sudden it seems the whole animal kingdom ranges in on your flock!
Possums are sneaky varmits, I think because of their tee tiny brain their skulls are also tee tiny so they can ooze into most any small opening, almost anything a rat can get into !
Hope you "Cure" your problem soon!
This is the time of the year where predators are really hunting food since the season is coming to Winter soon. Food will be scarce so they start hunting and finding where foodis. Watch the coyotes, they will send one in as a decoy while the rest is circling to come in for the kill...glad I got me a livestock dog..too...My 2 watchdog turkeys keep the pussoms and racoons at bay..lol..
I can't find any around here and Ken doesn't ship. Said he was 150 miles from Air Port ;-(
Geese are also very territorial. They will go after anything, and anyone that comes inside their space. Of course then there are the larger animals that are also guards of one thing or another. Llamas, donkeys, and as you say of course, dogs. Might have to have one of each to really be covered. LOL
Geese can't win with a coyote. I lost 2 to them and almost a 3rd but he was a huge Embden Gander. He dragged half way across my yard at 3 a.m. He won because hubbie goes out on the porch first thing when he gets up to see what it is like outside just as it was happening. He nor any of my other geese or ducks made a sound. they were all sleeping under the flood light at the corner of the front porch. I lock them all up at night now.
No, that is what the donkeys, and I think Llamas are for. Donkeys are natural enemies of canines I believe. Not sure about Llamas. Can't remember what they guard against.
Llamas are known to drive off coyotes and feral hogs.