Early morning Mink battle *pictures* graphic

[gypsy2621]

Ugh 4 am this morning, I am hearing what I thought was thunder.
yes we do get winter thunderstorms, unfortunately this rumbling went on way too long.
get dressed throw on my sloppy shoes and go out flashlight in hand.
I get to the coop which is basically behind my bedroom. and something black zips by my leg and through the crack in the door.

Of all things to grab , not the pitch fork mind you but a stupid tin handled broom!
After yelling for hubby that a mink had gone in, In I go back into the coop I see 4 dead, and the mink with one of my best hens in his mouth.
I took the broom and the metal end that the cap fell off of, and rammed the SOB as hard as I could, nothing , rammed again and it let go of the hen, zipped by me and out the door. down over the bank and back to the brook, now here comes hubby, grr , couldn't find the shells for the 410.
Go back inside the coop to see just who was lost.
Ugh My Gold Lace Cochin Rooster Pantyloons, Blue Cream Silky, 2 Commet Layers.
It looks like there was a struggle the Roosters spurs are covered in blood with no apparent injury to the spikes. this Cochin Roo had 4 1/2 inch spikes. and he was a moosh bug.

Zabrea my huge fat cat apparently got ahold of the mink. we could hear him screaming and flew around the coop in time to see her with a smug look on her face, She has been known to kill weasels. she has brought us dead ones before.

I am waiting for light so I can go out and check the hen who escaped. we are getting ice and snow right now, Traps have been set, gun is loaded and by the door, and the pitch fork is now residing just inside the rabbitry door, If I cant get it with one I will get it with another.
it gets into the traps is one dead fur ball.
Right now I cant shoot the rifle as I have nerve damage in my arm and just pinking up something that heavy makes my hand go numb
Pitch fork is my best bet and I will get the SOB.

 

[Badlatitude]

WOW you had yourself a little war going on this am! Sorry for your loss. Atleast you get classy varmints!!!

If you smell a real musty foul stink either you or your roo got him good. Often they spray a funky musk when they are in a fight , trap or shot and dont die instantly. Sounds like the roo deserves some treats for protecting your girls. So does the cat!

Laura would have my behind sleeping in the coop if I couldnt find any shotgun shells

 

[gypsy2621]

The coop smelled very strong musk blah enough to turn the stomach.
Unfortunately Mr Panty loons lost the battle. but obviously not after putting up a good fight, He was an old roo at least 5 years when I got him last year.
I miss his big mouth already.
its so quiet out there right now its eerie.

 

[sklingonz]

We had 3 Mink come into our yard in the fall. Only one got into our coop. Luckly it was only able to catch and kill one chicken before we caught it. Good luck with you hunt! The Mink that came into our yard were from a Mink farm about 3 miles down the road, a PETA person let about 8,000 loose.

 

[Badlatitude]

Hopefully between the big old spurs that front the sound of it found their mark and the cat mixing it up with em that mink is holed up and on his way out.

Sorry I missed that your roo was lost in the post... still ingesting caffine and advil after yesterdays 12 hour marathon working on the race car im shot and sore.

Keeping my fingers crossed that your mink is now in critter heaven or shortly on his way!

 

[Jamie]

That sounds awful, I'd hate to lose any of ours. Almost thought we lost one just this week, till we found the broody d'uccle hiding under the porch in a crawl space under the house, stuck solid to the ground in a frozen puddle. After a bucket of water thawing her off the ground and a night drying out in the bathtub she's back out and lucky we found her the other night. I don't even see any black toes yet!

Please don't take this the wrong way, but a well built(tight) space goes a long way. A little extra time saves a lot of time. Guns and traps over a mink seems like taking a pitch fork to a can of beans. My neighbor does the same thing and all it does is cause more aggravation when he snares the local skunks(no fox yet). I just hope these thoughts don't bring down the bear this spring who's been seen a few hills over... no more coop for me.

Seriously, I hope I don't sound condescending. I'd get smacked, not the fox or weasel, for losing a chicken around this house.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Quote:
Hopefully not to hijack the post, but do you know what the neighbor uses for bait to trap the skunks?

 

[texaschickmama]

Quote:
Thanks, PETA, ....................... coats for EVERYONE. I tell you what, that is very disturbing to me. What are people thinking?

I'm very sorry for your terrible morning. At least, now, you are ready for it.

 

[spook]

Call the town office and ask who in your area traps. They would LOVE to have mink hide and also allow you to be free of those horrible critters.
Growing up I had never seen a mink or a martin, believe it or not, I have recently seen some.
Its terrible! If you do trap with leg traps, make sure you place a milk crate over it, then you do not have to worry about the cat, neighbors cat or one of your birds. They use musk scent for bate, have also heard of sardines.
Good luck and hope you get this under control quickly.
Some times rat traps work, make sure you tie it down, these guys are strong!!!

 

[gypsy2621]

They did the same thing here a few years back, Poor Mink farmer was doing nothing wrong nor illegal, he ran a tight well kept mink farm. He is only a few miles from my place.

Unfortunately the ones that didnt die of hunger, or exposure are still running loose, every now and again we get one with an ear tag. if we catch it live we call the farmer to return , he always opts for humane death. cant dare put them back in his herd, but needs the ear tag # for reports.
I do feel for the mink they are only being critters and doing what they do to survive, but my favorite and only good natured Rooster is a whole new ball game, the war is on and one I will win.

I did notice that this mink was larger than normal so the possible is that its another domestic raised one, <sigh>.

On an Up note from all this the Post Office called my chicks came in , and to come get them asap , lol they were driving the workers nuts peeping.
only one lost and one weak but given time she will be as right as the others.
I only ordered Ornamental Hens.
all this and there is 3 inches of sleet, ice, snow and yuck, thankfully I have 4x4.


Jamie, The coop was secure. how this fat little basketball got through that crack is so beyond me and had I not seen it for my self I would have thought it went in a different way. but the ballsy little B*** went right by me and slipped in and then back out after being stabbed with a broom handle. I was amazed,
Husband is out there right now fixing the crack.
no offense was taken by words, I am more mad at myself for being basically useless in the situation.

Good Kitty Zabrea got herself a whole can of kitty food tis morning.
She is so prooud of her big self she came in and whomped the snot out of the 8 month old kitten lol she is such a brat.