A mink killed a third of our flock.

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Sorry for your loss. I hear that type of predator is VERY aggressive and they don't GIVE up. Yes, I also hear they are territorial and loners so, I hope you've seen the last of them...for good. LOL! Now wouldn't that be nice?

As for the hole. Is it a corner? Or on the side of the coop? I guess I am asking if the place where this 1/4 gap is accessible to you to fix it or not? We don't have weasels, minks or any of their kin out here <knock on wood!> so I've never had to deal with them. My newer coop had a hole about an inch long and what I did is putsome chicken wire, folded over a few times, over it and held the wire down with some boards (as a frame) nailed to the wall. It seems VERY sturdy! I suppose you could use an piece of fencing not necessarily chicken wire but that's what I used.

Maybe if there was a way you could nail the boards from the inside - which works best but, if need be the outside is fine too. Do you think this might help? Good luck and again, sorry about your babies. It is sad!

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Pedro
 
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I feel for you there. I live in NH (maybe we're close by) and I just had this same thing happen to me but with a weasel. There are 2 different types of weasels here. One is a short tail and it doesn't turn white in the winter. The other is a long tail that does turn white in the winter. I see minks too, but I've never had a problem with them.

They can fit into the smallest of cracks. If you use chicken wire on any weak spots they can't chew through it..it will wear down their teeth.

I'm sorry for your loss and I agree, it is a horrible scene to enter into. The weasel we encountered was very aggressive to us.

I don't think they travel in groups, but weasels can have 6-8 kids so I'm not taking any chances that some off spring aren't in the area
 
Thanks all for condolences. The only area where he could get in is around where the door hinge is and also on looking today in the day I can see how with the snow pushed aside there is a LITTLE space at the bottom of the door when it is closed. I am talking little but otherwise it is a solid plywood coop. What size wire would be small enough that they could not fit through? I did put wood inside so that when the door closes on the hinge side there is no space any longer. but the bottom will be harder to remedy. I will try to get some wood layed down or something. Upon research on internet, it was a mink and they are solitary, except breeding season which this is not. So hopefully no more for awhile.

My fiance is a keeper, he understands how upset I get when animals are involved and he truly loves them to. My fiance even said we might have to go ahead and buy like 60 chicks in spring. I certainly won't disagree with that. just as long as we can keep them safe.

We took the body to someone native up here, he said it was too damaged by the shotgun to sell the pelt. It would no way pay for the damages he caused anyway but it won't have hurt for it to pay for some chicken food.

I hope you all never have to deal with weasels/mink etc. They are balsy and tenacious.
 
You want to use a screen just like the screen on your house windows.

We had to kill the weasel too, as the thing was very aggressive and was "casing" my house. I just posted about it not too long ago. It also attacked my SO and thats when he killed it with a shovel.

Good luck and I do hope you'r able to keep the rest of your brood safe. It seems to be quite a challenge up here in the north woods.
 
I think the screen from a window screen might work but you have to make sure you fold it over a few times...like 3 to make it that much harder for them to tear through it. In fact, it might work BEST because, it's more malleable than other bigger stuff...easier to work into corners, nooks and crannies.

I did the chicken wire and the more i doubled it over the tighter the little holes got but I only did that to keep mice out. Then, I go and get mouser cats from next door move in. Oh well! IF a mouse did decide to go in there...it would have a heck of a time. LOL! I made sure.

60 chicks? WOW! Lucky YOU!
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I was thinking they could claw through a single sheet of window screen but yes I bet with it folded over it would not be able to do that. We decided that come spring we are dismantling the current coop and using the material to build a more efficient one. The one we are using now was here when we bought this place and was used for horses prior. So needless to say we have a HUGE door, and the ceiling is like 10 ft tall in the tallest and like 8 ft tall at the shortest. I would make the ceiling much lower, which means more material to make the actual floor space bigger. I would put in some windows too.
rooster-red, sounds like you have enough to deal with. Last thing you need to deal with is a weasel/mink.

They are related to skunks, when I was sitting in there guarding for that day, I could smell when he was around and knew to be on the lookout. Not a strong skunk smell, but a fairly strong musk smell. Not a normal chicken coop smell.

We would go with 60 new chicks because the two breeds we want only come in st. run so you know ABOUT half would be boys and they would have to either find new homes or be culled(which we have never done, but will have to learn)
My fiance even agreed to some new ducks, maybe a goose or two and maybe a few turkeys to raise for thanksgiving.
 

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