Look what we caught in our trap....

[itsasmallfarm]

yes that is an american mink.

weasels have a black tip on there tail and should be turning white right now. also mink have a white spot on there chin.

 

[WthrLady]

a mink won't even notice poultry/chicken wire. The holes are so large they'll fly right through.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

a mink won't even notice poultry/chicken wire. The holes are so large they'll fly right through.

They slip through 1" chicken wire?

 

[Rshumpal]

Well this has made me alter my coop plans, since I will have a Tim roof. Now lining inside of trusses with hardware cloth. If I have Mink’s/urmine/weasels hopefully if they squeeze in the ventilation holes they will be stuck against the roof. Hopefully this is my last alteration- those girls are 8 weeks today and still in their baby pen in my office.

That looks excellent and indestructible! - A bear maybe able to…

 

[NHMountainMan]

Well this has made me alter my coop plans, since I will have a Tim roof. Now lining inside of trusses with hardware cloth. If I have Mink’s/urmine/weasels hopefully if they squeeze in the ventilation holes they will be stuck against the roof. Hopefully this is my last alteration- those girls are 8 weeks today and still in their baby pen in my office.

I did the same inside the roof. I also used hardware cloth to cover the soffits-- for the same reason - the weasel family.

 

[aart]

Now lining inside of trusses with hardware cloth.

Good Move!

 

[jclausen]

So sorry for your loss. We lost one of our 4 hen 2 weeks ago to a predator.
We never were able to find out what did it. We live in the middle of a big city.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

So sorry for your loss. We lost one of our 4 hen 2 weeks ago to a predator.
We never were able to find out what did it. We live in the middle of a big city.

Being in the middle of a big city is no protection. I'm co-organizer of a 700 member chicken meetup group in our metro area. Our members have experienced every predator found in MO. Inside the city proper people have seen or lost birds to bobcat, fox, coyote, raccoon, opossum, weasel, owl and hawk - not to mention dogs. One had a family of foxes living next door to her and her chickens/turkeys.
In the metro area they've seen bears and mountain lions. The closest sightings of those were just a few miles from my house.
Big cities usually have more predators per square mile than wilderness areas.
Toronto is the raccoon capital of the world. Chicago is the coyote capital of the world.

 

[damnyankie]

We bought a trap yesterday at Tractor Supply after the hen coop got wiped out 2 nights ago (12 birds). There is a 2.5" gap over the door where the panel bends. This morning we found this. Looks to be an American mink? I was guessing racoons so boy was I surprised. Hard lesson learned. Every inch of coop needs hardware cloth on it.

View attachment 1965468

WE had the same thing happen to us. Wiped out the entire flock. The one hen was our baby as we had hand raised her. They all would follow me around and come running when I called. It was a mink. They are one of the few animals that kill for "sport" leaving none behind. We did not replace (how can one replace 'kids') and took down the fence. These too were in a what we thought was a secure area. They will also dig into a coop. I am sorry about your loss.

 

[Lisa Tate]

We bought a trap yesterday at Tractor Supply after the hen coop got wiped out 2 nights ago (12 birds). There is a 2.5" gap over the door where the panel bends. This morning we found this. Looks to be an American mink? I was guessing racoons so boy was I surprised. Hard lesson learned. Every inch of coop needs hardware cloth on it.

View attachment 1965468

Watch out- there are probably one or two more in the area. We had this problem in pheasant pens and caught 3 in a row!