Opossums are often seen wandering near coops at night, causing concern for backyard chicken keepers. Determining the actual threat this marsupial poses to a flock requires understanding its diet and behavior. The goal is to determine the actual risk it presents to healthy adult chickens, eggs, and young chicks.
Opossums and Poultry: Risk Assessment
Opossums are generally not considered primary predators of healthy, full-grown chickens, but they are opportunistic. They tend to target the most vulnerable parts of the flock, making eggs and newly hatched chicks their preferred prey. Eggs are an attractive food source for opossums, providing both sustenance and a high concentration of calcium necessary for their diet. If an opossum gains access to a nesting area, it is likely to consume eggs or small chicks, which offer little resistance.
While attacks on adult birds are less common, they can occur if a chicken is ill, injured, or if the opossum is desperate for food. Smaller chicken breeds, such as bantams, are also at a higher risk than larger fowl. A raid by an opossum often results in a messy scene, as they typically do not carry off large prey like other predators. One tell-tale sign of an opossum attack is a dead bird with its chest or lower abdomen torn open and internal organs, especially the crop, partially eaten.
Unlike predators that often kill multiple birds, an opossum is usually focused on consuming what it needs quickly, often leaving partial remains behind if startled. You may also find empty, discarded eggshells where they were eaten on the spot, or missing chicks without a trace. Their distinctive tracks, which show a unique opposable thumb on the hind foot, can sometimes be found near the entry point of the coop or run. Observing these specific signs helps distinguish an opossum attack from one caused by a fox or a raccoon.
The Opossum’s True Diet: Scavengers and Opportunists
Opossums are generalized omnivores and resourceful scavengers in the ecosystem. Their natural diet is varied and includes insects, snails, slugs, worms, and a wide array of plant matter. They also consume carrion, or dead animals, which is a beneficial habit that helps clean the environment and prevent the spread of disease.
Opossums are highly attracted to any source of readily available food, which is why they often venture into human-populated areas. Common attractants include outdoor pet food left out overnight, unsecured garbage cans, and fallen fruits beneath trees. They have a keen sense of smell and poor eyesight, guiding them to these easy meals under the cover of darkness. This opportunistic foraging behavior means the opossum is usually looking for a non-confrontational snack rather than actively hunting a full-sized chicken.
Their dietary needs are influenced by a requirement for high calcium, often satisfied by consuming bones and eggshells. This specific need explains their attraction to eggs in a chicken coop. Establishing the opossum’s preference for scavenging over hunting confirms that removing easy food sources is the most effective deterrent.
Securing the Coop Against Nighttime Visitors
Protecting a flock from opossums and other nocturnal predators primarily involves eliminating attractants and reinforcing physical barriers. The single most effective action is ensuring the coop door is securely closed and latched every night from dusk until dawn. Simple sliding bolts are easily manipulated by clever animals, so using robust, predator-proof latches or double-locking mechanisms is a better safeguard.
The structure of the coop and run must be fortified to prevent entry, as opossums are excellent climbers and can squeeze through small gaps. Replace standard chicken wire with heavy-duty, half-inch hardware cloth, which is too strong for them to tear or chew through. This material should be securely fastened over all windows, vents, and any openings larger than a golf ball.
Because opossums attempt to gain access by digging, a physical barrier should be installed below ground level. Burying the hardware cloth two feet deep around the perimeter of the run, or creating an outward-facing skirt of wire mesh on the ground, will deter them from tunneling underneath. Finally, remove all external food sources that might draw an opossum to the area, such as storing chicken feed in metal containers and cleaning up dropped fruit or spilled pet food before nightfall.