Do I have to worry about minks now after the chickens moved?

[cassandrapettersson]

Minks have killed 40 of our chickens last month, we only have 3 left (we've now bought 5 more to keep company)
The coop was near a sea, and the minks lived down there, now I've moved them to my backyard and we're further away from the sea.
Do I still have to worry about minks to come all the way up here just to kill my chickens??
I'm still always on alert, I don't want any more to die... But if the mink comes up to my house for any reason, how do I prevent it? How do I prevent the mink from murdering my chickens? How do I prevent the mink from coming?

 

[Callender Girl]

Losing that many chickens must be devastating, and I am sorry for you and them. Hope your survivors are recovering from the trauma.

A mink killed three of my four original hens and, like you, I was on alert for a very long time.

After the massacre, I did some security work and some research. A male mink tends to have its own territory of up to 10 miles and will actively keep other males out. So, I would not be surprised if your killer returns. Mine did.

Beef up security!! I read that a mink can shimmy through holes as small as one inch. Hardware cloth is expensive but worth it. I have it on every run now, and I've tightened up any spaces in the coops that I even thought a mink might get through.

I also installed Nite Guard solar lights that blink all night. Some BYC members have said those aren't really a deterrent. Maybe not. It could be a coincidence that I haven't lost any more birds, but if there is even a chance that they work, I'm willing to have them.

I hope you don't have to deal with the mink again.

 

[cassandrapettersson]

Losing that many chickens must be devastating, and I am sorry for you and them. Hope your survivors are recovering from the trauma.

A mink killed three of my four original hens and, like you, I was on alert for a very long time.

After the massacre, I did some security work and some research. A male mink tends to have its own territory of up to 10 miles and will actively keep other males out. So, I would not be surprised if your killer returns. Mine did.

Beef up security!! I read that a mink can shimmy through holes as small as one inch. Hardware cloth is expensive but worth it. I have it on every run now, and I've tightened up any spaces in the coops that I even thought a mink might get through.

I also installed Nite Guard solar lights that blink all night. Some BYC members have said those aren't really a deterrent. Maybe not. It could be a coincidence that I haven't lost any more birds, but if there is even a chance that they work, I'm willing to have them.

I hope you don't have to deal with the mink again.

Maybe the only way to get rid of minks, is to kill minks
Grabbing my shotgun, I'm tired of this shit!!!
I'm thinking about adding flooring to the run, but I want to let them dig and all that still

 

[cassandrapettersson]

Losing that many chickens must be devastating, and I am sorry for you and them. Hope your survivors are recovering from the trauma.

A mink killed three of my four original hens and, like you, I was on alert for a very long time.

After the massacre, I did some security work and some research. A male mink tends to have its own territory of up to 10 miles and will actively keep other males out. So, I would not be surprised if your killer returns. Mine did.

Beef up security!! I read that a mink can shimmy through holes as small as one inch. Hardware cloth is expensive but worth it. I have it on every run now, and I've tightened up any spaces in the coops that I even thought a mink might get through.

I also installed Nite Guard solar lights that blink all night. Some BYC members have said those aren't really a deterrent. Maybe not. It could be a coincidence that I haven't lost any more birds, but if there is even a chance that they work, I'm willing to have them.

I hope you don't have to deal with the mink again.

I'm sorry about your chickens

 

[Callender Girl]

I totally understand wanting to kill a mink. I have never in my life wanted to kill an animal -- but that night, I went out with a three-tined cultivator, night vision headlamp and waited for the mink to return. It did and only escaped with its life because it slipped through a hole in the hay shed wall.

It was too smart for the live trap -- only an unhappy opossum fell for that.

I have dirt floors in two of my chicken coops but ended up covering those with hardware cloth, too, after a problem with rats a few years back. The runs all have dirt "floors," but I added hardware cloth aprons outside all of them, fastened down with garden staples and bordered by square concrete stepping stones.

 

[cassandrapettersson]

I totally understand wanting to kill a mink. I have never in my life wanted to kill an animal -- but that night, I went out with a three-tined cultivator, night vision headlamp and waited for the mink to return. It did and only escaped with its life because it slipped through a hole in the hay shed wall.

It was too smart for the live trap -- only an unhappy opossum fell for that.

I have dirt floors in two of my chicken coops but ended up covering those with hardware cloth, too, after a problem with rats a few years back. The runs all have dirt "floors," but I added hardware cloth aprons outside all of them, fastened down with garden staples and bordered by square concrete stepping stones.

I'm gonna call the entire hunting team for this one... No mercy
I might just take hardware cloth on the groundand cover it with tons of dirt :,)

 

[DickMidnight]

Grabbing my shotgun, I'm tired of this shit!!!

I'm gonna call the entire hunting team for this one... No mercy

lol. the mink got FORTY free lunches. if you haven’t killed it by now, both it and we know you’re not going to kill it at all.

just listen to what you’re being told. make your run predator proof by covering every opening in 1/2” hardware cloth, including a 2-3ft wide apron around the entire coop/run to prevent digging.

 

[cassandrapettersson]

lol. the mink got FORTY free lunches. if you haven’t killed it by now, both it and we know you’re not going to kill it at all.

just listen to what you’re being told. make your run predator proof by covering every opening in 1/2” hardware cloth, including a 2-3ft wide apron around the entire coop/run to prevent digging.

I am, I know what to do to keep it predator proof. The mink was snatching them outside.

none of us have attempted to kill it. But if it goes after them again we sure will.
I couldn't do much in the situation, I'm a teen.. what do you want me to do?? Catch it with my own hands?? And the shotgun thing was a joke

 

[cassandrapettersson]

I totally understand wanting to kill a mink. I have never in my life wanted to kill an animal -- but that night, I went out with a three-tined cultivator, night vision headlamp and waited for the mink to return. It did and only escaped with its life because it slipped through a hole in the hay shed wall.

It was too smart for the live trap -- only an unhappy opossum fell for that.

I have dirt floors in two of my chicken coops but ended up covering those with hardware cloth, too, after a problem with rats a few years back. The runs all have dirt "floors," but I added hardware cloth aprons outside all of them, fastened down with garden staples and bordered by square concrete stepping stones.

What do you mean by dirt floors? Just dirt or?

 

[DickMidnight]

I am, I know what to do to keep it predator proof. The mink was snatching them outside

you didn’t mention they were outside. you’re gonna have to keep them locked up for a while.

is their coop and run completely predator proof?

But if it goes after them again we sure will.

he will, because every time he comes to your coop he gets fed.

just wondering why you didn’t address this after 2 losses, or 5, or 10, or…. forty chickens is a lot of chickens.