Maine

[combatfuzzball]

I'll try to remember to post when they start laying. Please remind me after 04.21 when you're ready to incubate.

Remember me when you hatch some LOL I'll rase up some just to learn more about them.

 

[buckabucka]

Can you leave them locked up with a flock block for a few days?

They're locked up every day, as their run area is deep snow. The weasel comes into the coop, through the rat tunnels, we think.

 

[wabbit1964]

Weasel was back today. DH saw it outside the coop chasing a screaming rat, - this was after it had already killed 2 1/2 more hens. The injured hen will need to be put down tomorrow, I think. They don't seem to be interested in the trap in the coop, but I think the weasel only comes in while in the process of a high-speed chase after a rat. I'm not sure where I should put the trap outside, but maybe I will try various places this weekend.

I had some run ins with weasel this winter. I thought he was gone... Yesterday morning what did I see running through the woods at the edge of the property? a weasel. When I saw him earlier in the winter it was white... now a brown one. Is it normal for them to be brown right now I know they are white for winter. I hope you get your weasel problem solved. Mine haven't gotten any more chickens lately. The night he succeeded it was due to lack of a door being closed tight which is unusual. He apparently still comes back to see if I slip up again so he can get a free dinner.

 

[wabbit1964]

I wanted to buy some ducks at TSC today but didn't tell what breed plus I only want pair at most. Not 6. lol

We got lucky last week, there were only 3 ducklings left in the bin so we only had to buy 3 not 6. Good luck

 

[LadyCluck77]

I had some run ins with weasel this winter. I thought he was gone... Yesterday morning what did I see running through the woods at the edge of the property? a weasel. When I saw him earlier in the winter it was white... now a brown one. Is it normal for them to be brown right now I know they are white for winter. I hope you get your weasel problem solved. Mine haven't gotten any more chickens lately. The night he succeeded it was due to lack of a door being closed tight which is unusual. He apparently still comes back to see if I slip up again so he can get a free dinner.

They do change color around this time of year- the fur will be white in the winter, and turn brown in the spring. (usually just around equinox)
It sounds like you could have the same individual sticking around.

 

[buckabucka]

Our weasel is brown.
It took down another hen very early this morning. We put the dead hen in the live trap and left it outside where we had seen tracks in the snow. DH left to get feed, and when he came back, the weasel had gone back in the coop and killed the hen that he seriously wounded the day before. Maybe he is not interested in chicken that is already dead, or maybe he hadn't discovered it, but so far, he is winning this battle.

 

[ChyDez]

I know I've asked this ? before, and been answered before. But, senior moments being what they are... Has any one on Maine thread ordered chicks from Cackle in the past, and what has been the outcome? When did you order, how long were they in transit, what was the weather, and what was the viability of your chicks? I have chicks shipping 4/12.

Well, I received my small order today from Cackle. I received them almost the same exact timeline as last week. Right around 24 hours later. I was actually driving to the post office when he called to say they were there and I walked in 2 minutes later. I ordered the small city order (3 Easter Eggers), 4 were in there. They were in a box within a box, heat pack inside both boxes. All were alive, one is a little sluggish but I'm hoping once she warms up she will do better! But all in all very happy with Cackle. The USPS tracking sucks though. It hardly updates. Basically, I saw a label was created then when they were picked up, it stayed at that status all night until the morning about 2 hours before I picked them up. Also, I think I received a barred rock rooster last week, I don't need any roosters! I don't know what to do with him right now. Any suggestions would be great.

 

[buckabucka]

We caught a mink!
Yesterday morning we lost another hen. We put it in the raccoon-size live trap and put it right outside the coop where we had seen some tracks. DH went to buy feed, and when he returned, trap was undisturbed, but there was another dead hen in the coop (#7).

I was at work, but I emailed home that I was tempted to pick 8 favorite hens and try to integrate them into our "safe" flock. It is too bad that our chick grow out pen is in the area where we blow snow (buried). By the time I got home, DH had moved all the birds! 19 locked in the secure run, 17 locked in the front half of the coop (where they already live, but now without their run) and 6 locked in the tiny back half of the coop with their rooster in our basement. It is tight quarters, but free of death.

Live trap went inside the coop. "Weasel" returned, went in the trap and moved the dead hen several inches, but somehow squeezed it's way out! We set the smaller squirrel trap, which we inherited and is bent up, because that's all we had. I planned to go shopping today for a better trap, but went out this morning and there was a mink!

I am leery of the fact that this animal looks like there is no way it could have squeezed out of the other trap. DH also thought he saw a white belly, but also knows eyewitness memory is usually inaccurate. We have a lot of work to do on the hoop coop before it will be secure, and I plan to keep the trap set just in case. Meanwhile, I hope my hens can survive overcrowded living conditions for a month or so.

Oh, and DH says he thinks he should be referred to as EDH (exceptional dear husband) from now on
And I have to say I agree with him.

Here's our mink. You are welcome to the pelt, if you would like to make a hat.

 

[LadyCluck77]

Congratulations on the catch!
Sounds like it was a sly one, too. I've heard they can squeeze themselves through a tiny crack- I've never seen it, but I do believe it.
Hopefully now your birds will be left alone.

 

[IZZYBELLA]

We caught a mink!
Yesterday morning we lost another hen. We put it in the raccoon-size live trap and put it right outside the coop where we had seen some tracks. DH went to buy feed, and when he returned, trap was undisturbed, but there was another dead hen in the coop (#7).

I was at work, but I emailed home that I was tempted to pick 8 favorite hens and try to integrate them into our "safe" flock. It is too bad that our chick grow out pen is in the area where we blow snow (buried). By the time I got home, DH had moved all the birds! 19 locked in the secure run, 17 locked in the front half of the coop (where they already live, but now without their run) and 6 locked in the tiny back half of the coop with their rooster in our basement. It is tight quarters, but free of death.

Live trap went inside the coop. "Weasel" returned, went in the trap and moved the dead hen several inches, but somehow squeezed it's way out! We set the smaller squirrel trap, which we inherited and is bent up, because that's all we had. I planned to go shopping today for a better trap, but went out this morning and there was a mink!

I am leery of the fact that this animal looks like there is no way it could have squeezed out of the other trap. DH also thought he saw a white belly, but also knows eyewitness memory is usually inaccurate. We have a lot of work to do on the hoop coop before it will be secure, and I plan to keep the trap set just in case. Meanwhile, I hope my hens can survive overcrowded living conditions for a month or so.

Oh, and DH says he thinks he should be referred to as EDH (exceptional dear husband) from now on
And I have to say I agree with him.

Here's our mink. You are welcome to the pelt, if you would like to make a hat.

Wow! Congrats to EDH on the catch!

Hope your girls will be safe from now on! I saw a mink skulk away from my goat enclosure earlier this winter... creepy creatures, especially now that I know what damage they can cause. So relieved you got it, bucka!