HELP injured chicken by mink

[melchic]

Last night a mink got into my hen house. It killed one and injured another. She has a puncture wound on her neck. We cleaned and put ointment on it and brought her in for the night. This morning she is tiping her head back so far it is resting on her back and almost looks broken. She was not doing this last night. She is making lots of noise and wont eat or drink. Does anyone know what else I can do for her or if they think she is going to make it?

 

[matthewschickens]

Perhaps try to give her something she can eat. Wet bread in small pieces would give her water and food.

Other than that, I don't have the knowledge to take you much farther than that. Though I had that happen once with a coon. I'll send you the thread link in a few minutes.

 

[matthewschickens]

Here's the link:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=3235738

Good luck!

 

[melchic]

Thanks very much. First time I have lost any of my hens or had any injured.

Not fun

 

[rainplace]

Mink are absolutely awful and you can bet it will be back. I lost three ducks to a mink earlier this year out on the pond. The last one it took I actually saw the darn thing and there was nothing I could do to stop it's kill.

Mink are basically solitary territorial creatures though sometimes a male and female will have overlapping territories. They can get into an opening 1" in diameter. Think about that and go through your hen house and plug up all the holes. They are fantastic diggers so make sure the floor of you hen house is also predator proof.

I bought a small live trap and baited it with dead mice. Since mink tend to travel the same hunting pattern, sometimes they won't come back to a kill site for a week. Our mink didn't come back for three days. On the morning of day 4, we had our mink. Now dead.

 

[linben]

I am so sorry for your loss. I would try to get fluids in her somehow and keep her warm. You will probally know within a day or so if there is any improvement. Good luck.