Fisher cat?

[Momma*chicken]

So, today for the first time I've spotted this animal that looks like a black weasel. It's about the size of a ferret. It keeps coming back and fourth to were my chickens r sun and dust bathing. Is this a fisher cat? How big r they? For reference I live in upstate NY in the Adirondacks. I have been afraid to take my eyes off my flock today because this animal keeps coming back. We have a pond that my chickens have been hanging out near. This weasel looking character keeps diving into this pond until I come out and scare him off. He is much smaller than my chickens

 

[R2elk]

So, today for the first time I've spotted this animal that looks like a black weasel. It's about the size of a ferret. It keeps coming back and fourth to were my chickens r sun and dust bathing. Is this a fisher cat? How big r they? For reference I live in upstate NY in the Adirondacks. I have been afraid to take my eyes off my flock today because this animal keeps coming back. We have a pond that my chickens have been hanging out near. This weasel looking character keeps diving into this pond until I come out and scare him off. He is much smaller than my chickens

From what I found out, fishers are much bigger than weasels. Based on your location it would not surprise me if it was a mink.

 

[aart]

they r still a very bad predator for chickens

They are indeed...and can get thru much smaller gap than a fisher.
Hope your run and coop are tight!

 

[Momma*chicken]

So I looked up minks and this is what I found... This is exactly how it looked... From what I read, they r still a very bad predator for chickens

 

[Momma*chicken]

Our coop and run r tight for the most part. We have double walls with insulation, hardware cloth on every window, and our run is surrounded with hardware cloth, including about 8in of it surrounding the Perimeter. It is 8 ft tall. And covered on the top, however the top is covered with green garden fencing, which I think a mink can fit thru. I think i will need to install some hardware cloth over that. I am so paranoid now

 

[mixedbreeds]

I have never seen a mink move slow. They do really like to eat fish if you could bait a live trap with fish I’m sure it would fall for it.

 

[Momma*chicken]

It looked similar to that but all black... And about the size of a ferret... It actually looked exactly like a black ferret

 

[Momma*chicken]

I just really hope it's not a fisher... I've heard they r worse for a flock of chickens than a fox!

 

[aart]

And covered on the top, however the top is covered with green garden fencing, which I think a mink can fit thru.

What is the size of the holes in this fencing?

My main worry is when they r free ranging. They have no fences or limitations and I have a lot of wooded area surrounding my property where predators can hide

Best to keep the birds confined for now, until that little stinker is denied and moves on.

 

[aart]

Does anyone think if I get an air rifle(bb gun) that it might kill it? My grandfather kills squirrels with his bb gun

If you're a heck of good shot...or live trap it first.
But killing one pred will not kill them all, tho I do believe mink are solitary.
As far as being nocturnal, any predator will hunt and kill in the daytime if it's hungry enough.