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Finally caught the culprit

post #1 of 44
Thread Starter 

I lost alot of chickens past few days so I decided to set a trap and finally caught it. Can anyone help me determine what this is?

 

 

 

IMG_20120126_110901.jpg

post #2 of 44
Looks like a weasel to me.
post #3 of 44

Looks like a member of the weasel family - if you are near water, might even be a mink but I have never seen them other than in pictures. 

Currently sharing flock with FIL - 5 light brahmas hens and 1 handsome light brahma roo, 8 of their offspring, and FIL just added 10 RIR hens. Brahma roo thinks he is in heaven!

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Currently sharing flock with FIL - 5 light brahmas hens and 1 handsome light brahma roo, 8 of their offspring, and FIL just added 10 RIR hens. Brahma roo thinks he is in heaven!

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post #4 of 44

That my dear is a river otter.... just so you know wink.png

just a mom of three teens, 6 RIR, 9 Leghorn,  5 BO, 5 EE,  8 mixed breed chickens, 3 dogs, 20 some cats, and 22 angus... 

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just a mom of three teens, 6 RIR, 9 Leghorn,  5 BO, 5 EE,  8 mixed breed chickens, 3 dogs, 20 some cats, and 22 angus... 

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post #5 of 44
It does look like a river otter! We see them on rare occasion here too. I hope you let it go without harm.....its illegal to mess with them in my neck of the woods.

Edited to add:after checking out the pic again, it kind of looks like a mink too. River otters have long tails and are alot bigger than a weasle
Edited by howfunkyisurchicken - 1/26/12 at 9:09am
Nikki
*C'mon, get flappy!*
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Nikki
*C'mon, get flappy!*
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post #6 of 44

I agree. It looks like an otter.

post #7 of 44

Mink have more of an ear ...... we have both up here in northern MN and I have even raised a mink from infancy... here's a picture for comparison...

 

images.jpeg  this is a mink....

just a mom of three teens, 6 RIR, 9 Leghorn,  5 BO, 5 EE,  8 mixed breed chickens, 3 dogs, 20 some cats, and 22 angus... 

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just a mom of three teens, 6 RIR, 9 Leghorn,  5 BO, 5 EE,  8 mixed breed chickens, 3 dogs, 20 some cats, and 22 angus... 

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post #8 of 44

how large is your trap? it looks like a mink to me

 

your trap is only 7" X 7" X 24" ?  


Edited by aprophet - 1/26/12 at 9:58am
http://www.scnaonline.org  Serama Council Of North America

You might as well expect rivers to run backwards as any man born free to be contented penned up.
Chief Joseph
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http://www.scnaonline.org  Serama Council Of North America

You might as well expect rivers to run backwards as any man born free to be contented penned up.
Chief Joseph
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post #9 of 44

Oh wow...I am in Orange Cty NC and didnt realize we had them...he sure is pretty...reminds me of my ferret but I surely dont want it after my birds!!!!!  How was it getting your birds, were they free ranging or was he getting in the coop?  Just want to make sure my coop is secure enough!!!  fl.gif

Wife, mother to 1 daughter, 5 dogs (1 Great Pyr, 3 Dachshunds, and a Sheltie), 2 cats, 19 chickens, two pekin ducks and alot of fish!!!
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Wife, mother to 1 daughter, 5 dogs (1 Great Pyr, 3 Dachshunds, and a Sheltie), 2 cats, 19 chickens, two pekin ducks and alot of fish!!!
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post #10 of 44

I doubt it is a river otter--nose isn't big enough and they really don't prey on birds out of water--they prefer fish and mollusks.  I suspect, without a good idea of size, that it is a mink--nose is right and the foot I see isn't webbed.  Could also be a summer colored weasel.  

7.5 acres in the western Catskill foothills of garden, blueberries, 4 cats plus 20 Black Stars, 12 RIR, 7 EE's, 4 Brown leghorns, 4 BR, a SS and 6 guinea keats,  including one very happy EE rooster. In 33 yrs of keepin' chickens I shoulda learned somethin', but unfortunately I'm addicted to the MCMurray catalog. 

"To write is to think, and to write well is to think well."
-- David McCullough

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7.5 acres in the western Catskill foothills of garden, blueberries, 4 cats plus 20 Black Stars, 12 RIR, 7 EE's, 4 Brown leghorns, 4 BR, a SS and 6 guinea keats,  including one very happy EE rooster. In 33 yrs of keepin' chickens I shoulda learned somethin', but unfortunately I'm addicted to the MCMurray catalog. 

"To write is to think, and to write well is to think well."
-- David McCullough

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