Look what we caught in our trap....

[ChickenCanoe]

Are you serious? What did you learn from that article?

I learned that some states look at these semantics differently. I've used spring leg traps many years ago and caught a lot in the dog proof variety.
I'm confused about what you are wanting me to glean from this discussion or what you assume I should already know of your experience.
It just sounds a bit combative.

 

[Mimi13]

Thanks for starting this post. My coop is getting a tin roof so it will help

No prob, Bob. I figure my problem is also someone else’s. It takes all of us chicken keepers to stay one step ahead of the bad boogers.

 

[roosterhavoc]

I learned that some states look at these semantics differently. I've used spring leg traps many years ago and caught a lot in the dog proof variety.
I'm confused about what you are wanting me to glean from this discussion.

I doesn’t particularly matter to me what you personally glean from this. My only point is the term leg trap conjures up images of a bear trap with teeth for many people that don’t know any better or have zero experience with them. Which is the vast majority of the population in this country. Obviously I’m a big proponent of trapping. I’m not denying that and I prefer to see people who actually use traps not link to AR themed articles that are entirely one sided. Again I would assume one would use better judgement.
Semantics can make all the difference nowadays.
I see tons of links to trapping articles, where to buy, etc.. Very little information of how to actually set them, where, bait, lure, anchoring etc.. you know the actual important stuff. I still trust that if someone can manage to find their way to BYC they can manage to type in “traps” in a search bar.

 

[aart]

I still trust that if someone can manage to find their way to BYC they can manage to type in “traps” in a search bar.

Oh, if only!

 

[Going Quackers]

That is definitely a mink. I'm here to attest that they will go on killing sprees and take everything in a building. In my case they didn't bother piling up the carcasses and caused no visible damage. They were just dead and nothing eaten.
My family has raised chickens here or within a mile of here at the old homestead since the 1870s. We never had an issue with or even saw a mink.
About 6 years ago Walmart built a store 3/4 of a mile from my house as the crow flies. In the process, they cut about 80 acres of old growth forest along the creek at the bottom of the hill. Within a couple weeks, the attacks started and I was trying to figure out how, what I thought were raccoons, were getting in. It soon became clear the culprit/s weren't raccoons. In less than a week I lost about $3,000 worth of birds. Each night they got into another building and killed everything inside. I installed a baby monitor in one of the remaining buildings and was awakened by carnage. I ran out and was able to stop it after it had only killed half the birds. That was when I realized they can get into an opening as large as an inch. There was a gap above the concrete floor at the base of the door. I fixed that and hadn't lost another bird for a couple weeks. But every other building was invaded over time. One had no opening over 1/2" but after losing every bird in that building I found a small gap where the bottom of the siding had pulled away from the sill plate.
That experience almost got me out of the chicken business.
To try to salvage the rare genetics I cut out eggs from some of the hen's and it took me a week to burn all the carcasses.
I've killed 3 mink but I'm not naïve enough to think they are no longer around.
Those losses set back my breeding program by many years.

So sorry. That is just beyond. Very hard to "get back on the horse" after that much loss.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Holy Sh*t i have a Weasel too!!!​

My duckies just made a tantrum in their house, took my phone out and saw a weasel or mink lurking at the door! - I went outside and scared it away, but i know my duck-house is not weasel-proof! Have set up a life-trap with a cooked duck egg as bait, i just have anything else at hand… That will be a looong night!
If i fill the openings between the tin-roof and the wooden structure with expanding foam, will that keep a weasel out? My duck-house is a very old structure and it was already a nightmare to make it 'coon-proof.
The weather is too wet, otherwise i would hook up the neon-transformer, but with all the moisture around i am afraid i will electrocute the ducks too…

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

Holy Sh*t i have a Weasel too!!!​

My duckies just made a tantrum in their house, took my phone out and saw a weasel or mink lurking at the door! - I went outside and scared it away, but i know my duck-house is not weasel-proof! Have set up a life-trap with a cooked duck egg as bait, i just have anything else at hand… That will be a looong night!
If i fill the openings between the tin-roof and the wooden structure with expanding foam, will that keep a weasel out? My duck-house is a very old structure and it was already a nightmare to make it 'coon-proof.
The weather is too wet, otherwise i would hook up the neon-transformer, but with all the moisture around i am afraid i will electrocute the ducks too…

No way. That sucks. You put out the trap this evening? It seems they like revisit the scene of the crime. Hopefully you catch yours quickly too.

 

[Mimi13]

Holy Sh*t i have a Weasel too!!!​

My duckies just made a tantrum in their house, took my phone out and saw a weasel or mink lurking at the door! - I went outside and scared it away, but i know my duck-house is not weasel-proof! Have set up a life-trap with a cooked duck egg as bait, i just have anything else at hand… That will be a looong night!
If i fill the openings between the tin-roof and the wooden structure with expanding foam, will that keep a weasel out? My duck-house is a very old structure and it was already a nightmare to make it 'coon-proof.
The weather is too wet, otherwise i would hook up the neon-transformer, but with all the moisture around i am afraid i will electrocute the ducks too…

Oh my lord. I’d be so tempted to sleep in the duck house tonight until you can predator proof it in the morning. One night is all it would take.

As far as the foam goes, it should keep them out. If the spaces are of any size, maybe inserting pieces of wire in the foam would reinforce it.

My wishes for you tonight.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I have switched all outside lights to on - not motion detection, have a radio on and one eye on the DuckyCam…
Tomorrow morning i will drive to the local hardware store and buy foam...
The openings i have to seal is just where the profile of the metal roof is bending away from the wooden structure. And i have to figure out how to seal some gaps at my self-made door (i am not a carpenter…)
Why the heck is that thing coming now? All the time i had raccoons lurking around, never saw a weasel. DANG!

 

[Mimi13]

I have switched all outside lights to on - not motion detection, have a radio on and one eye on the DuckyCam…
Tomorrow morning i will drive to the local hardware store and buy foam...
The openings i have to seal is just where the profile of the metal roof is bending away from the wooden structure. And i have to figure out how to seal some gaps at my self-made door (i am not a carpenter…)
Why the heck is that thing coming now? All the time i had raccoons lurking around, never saw a weasel. DANG!

Well? How’d last night go?