Today just before dark a mink came up little ditch that goes through poultry yard. Chickens gave alarm for ground predator just on other side of ditch causing dog to run promptly in that direction. Dog stopped short when crossing ditch and ran up through only green patch of grass on place, He barked a couple times and started fighting with something I could not see. Initially I though muskrat until seeing mink jump at dog. I got down there and mink began running down hill through brambles that dog had to run around. It took a couple minutes of running about through heavy vegetation but dog caught and killed mink before bringing it up into yard. Mink and weasels I have never lost birds to personally but presently several hens brooding in ground are very close to location where mink was contacted. Mink concern me more than most predators because my pens offer no protection from them. I was surprized at how well dog was able to line out and dispatch mink. It is a smelly little bugger.
