I literally feel sick about the mink killing my chicken

[muffin57]

So sorry for your losses Poultry Princess. It sure is emotionally exhausting to experience so many. I hope you get that damn mink. Take care.

[windwalkingwolf]

I'm sorry for your loss, Poultry Princess I hope you catch it.

[Skinny rooster]

Sorry for your loss, especially losing your dad, I've never felt the same after losing my dad.

Don't worry about being upset over the attack on your chickens, this is the exact place to vent and just know.... most of us know "exactly" how you feel. I had a weasel do the same thing for weeks, I could never catch the s.o.b, karma brought me good luck when I took in a homeless cat and she repaid me by eating him! Lol

[Farrier1987]

Mink are so blood thirsty. Just packages of wanton killing, I don't totally understand it, but that's what they do, and stuff happens. One thing helps us a little is they are usually loners, and if you get the one, the problem is solved for the time being, maybe a couple years, depending on your location to streams, etc.

If you do get it and its alive in the box trap and you want to send it to a better place, a rain barrel works fairly well, or an exhaust pipe and a grain sack or some such. I hope your plywood trap works for you. I had one chew its way out once. If you get it, do you plan to dispatch it? It should be done, but I always dislike that part. That is why I like the conibear traps (see pic). I have two sizes, about a four inch square for weasel, mink etc, (#110) and a 10" square #110 (known as a beaver trap) for fox, skunk coyote and such. In 7 yrs here, I have only used them about three times, which suits me, but I can and will if need be. Almost always if you get the critter at all, that part is taken care of. Also, conibears mostly don't need bait, jus find their pathway and you can set it in the doorway/grass tunnel/trail that they use and it will work. Or bait if they are right near the prey. A chicken head works pretty well impaled on the tines of the trigger.

Short trapping story. Friends in BC were losing chickens, they suspected the neighbors dog. The neighbors said it couldn't be, their dog was always in the yard, couldn't get out. So they set a beaver size conibear, and guess what they caught? Yep, a dog that was very much like the neighbors dog, who it could not have been because he never got out of the yard. Probably just a strange coincidence, but the neighbor's dog ran away at the same time, and was never seen again. And they stopped losing chickens. All so unusual.

Anyway, sorry about how its gone so far, good luck in solving the problem. Take care.

[Killerbunny]

I think it's due to them wanting to stash food in the winter, they are conditioned to kill everything and keep for later.

[Poultryprincess]

THANK YOU EVERYONE for your warm, fuzzy thoughts!!!!!
It was much appreciated

First to the important question - NO the mink has NOT been caught

The night of the attack, we saw the hole in the wall where he got in.
Mink ran back @ the chicken a few times while I'm standing there.
Hubby took a can of "Spray Foam" & filled every hole he saw
Set trap next night & left the pen ( where attack happened ) open about 3 inches
Used my cute little pullet ( ) & a can of sardines as bait.

For 3 days I kept the birds locked up solid, no outside pens
NOTHING, NADA, ZIPPO! No Mink seen.
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IF we had caught the mink, we were going to relocate him
There is a massive forest, that is close to the old Dump
Duffins creek is close by, with plenty of fish for him to eat.
I would be able to kill him in the heat of the moment if needed.

I don't have one of those traps, but think I should have one.
My biggest fear was if our cats got in there somehow.

Wow, good thing that dog ran away when it did!
No one ever thinks "Their" dog could do that.
After our 6 yr old big baby Rotti attacked me, I get it.
Didn't see if coming & that's why our new dog is a Boxer.
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Well I guess I should finish the dishes.
Have another showing on the Homestead
About 2 showings a day, many offers.
Almost ALL have fallen thru due to bank financing
(lawyer said he closes only about 30% of all deals in the last few months )


St. Joseph is buried ~ fingers crossed

THANXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX AGAIN

[Farrier1987]

My thoughts on relocating differ from some others. You take a wild animal that has been a problem and relocate it. That's fine so far. If it is near other residences, the problem will continue only for someone other than you. And in that scenario as well as down some lonely road, they are encroaching on the established territory of another of their species. The newly introduced one does not know the terrain or hidey holes or food sources and there is a good chance they are likely to die or starve.

So not very happily, I choose to fix the problem by ending their life as humanely as I can.

[Killerbunny]

Must say I don't relocate either.

[Cliff]

The country way shoot shovel and shut up.. they will not stop so you must kill them..

[WLLady]

mink make nice fur lined mittens.....winter's coming.....just sayin'.....
and i'm saying this as i forgot to close the door on the grow out coop this morning and they were all milling around outside at 5am in the pitched black of night!