Mink!!! Help!!! Killed Chickens and Decimated Large Koi Pond!!!

[FireTigeris]

And increasing the amount of available prey will inevitably attract more and more predators to feed on it. It's nature, all part of a cycle. I'm not against trapping, I just don't think it makes that much of a difference. In my experience it hasn't. I trap one mink, literally the next day there were two more in my duck pen. I saw them, trying to drag off a dead duck. After that experience, I put all my effort into reinforcing my coops so that absolutely nothing could penetrate them at night, and stopped trying to trap everything. A year later and no more predator deaths, and all my animals free range during the day.

Not sure where you live but I live in the suburbs of a major city, we had a coyote training kill (adult mother with two sub-adult cubs) here- lost nearly half my flock in murky (overcast) daylight (about 2:00pm.
That was 13 chickens (all three roosters) and 9 ducks (ducks and the three drakes, one coward drake survived).

The adult was taller at the shoulder than my Pitbull who gave good chase, only slightly shorter (2-3? inches) then the female greyhound who didn't go under the hose to give chase.

 

[farmtotable]

I live in a really small town on the coast of Washington. We've seen everything from eagles, bobcats and stoats to coyotes, minks and the occassional bear. We've shot and trapped a few of them, but it never solves the problem for long. In fact, right after killing the three minks, the rat population exploded. That's why I just focus now on keeping predators out thru stuctural improvements, rather than killing them. Our property borders a forest, so there's always a fresh supply of predators fluxing in. I'll admit I've been extremely lucky during the day as far as daylight predators go, but I'm outside all the time. Like I said, I'm not against trapping, I just don't think it solves the problem.

 

[JanetS]

@ farmtotable-Yes, you have been lucky. Very lucky!! Just last week a bobcat jumped over our 6 ft wood fence and grab one of our hen and was gone in seconds. This happened around 4:30 pm. We were always outside with our chickens too. It happened so fast and was so unexpected. My chickens will no longer free range. Today around 3:00 pm the bobcat was back. We sacred it away this time. I know they( there were two of them this time) will be back again. I worry about my kids in the backyard now. I hope your luck continues.. Our luck ran out.

 

[buddy phoenix]

agricultural lime works real well sprinkle around property border on trees in holes. it burns predators feet. dont get on you will burn you. wear rubber gloves n old clothes you can throw away. old farmer taught this to me. i believe in it dont have any problems with predators

 

[FireTigeris]

Children and dangerous chemicals sound like a bad idea.

Some times the dog's 'marking' keeps the other dog types out.

 

[loveyourpond]

Sorry to hear about your koi and livestock! Here are some ideas that help in general with pond predators that can be applied to mink as well. Ultrasonic predator control with motion detector may work very well, but keeps away lots of critters that sometimes people enjoy. Check out my blog post on this.
http://fullserviceaquatics.com/blue-heron/heron-deterrents-for-your-koi-pond/

 

[NewChicMom1966]

I live in a really small town on the coast of Washington. We've seen everything from eagles, bobcats and stoats to coyotes, minks and the occassional bear. We've shot and trapped a few of them, but it never solves the problem for long. In fact, right after killing the three minks, the rat population exploded. That's why I just focus now on keeping predators out thru stuctural improvements, rather than killing them. Our property borders a forest, so there's always a fresh supply of predators fluxing in. I'll admit I've been extremely lucky during the day as far as daylight predators go, but I'm outside all the time. Like I said, I'm not against trapping, I just don't think it solves the problem.

What type of designs and materials do you use to keep out the mink? I am a total novice, and we will be starting our first flock in the spring. I am in the process of converting my smallest horse barn (10x16) into a hen house. I know we have mink and just about every other type of predator including snakes. Until I read these posts, I wasn't sure how much I should worry about the mink. Now I realize they are a huge threat. I want the hen house and adjacent run to be the chicken equivalent of Alcatraz (nothing gets in and nothing gets out unless I say so). lol All suggestions with regard to predator proofing will be gratefully accepted.

 

[NewChicMom1966]

So sorry to hear about your loss. I do want to thank you for sharing your situation. We are stilling the planning and prepping stages; and hopefully, the information shared here will allow us to take a proactive approach while designing our coop in order to avoid similar losses.

 

[farmtotable]

What type of designs and materials do you use to keep out the mink? I am a total novice, and we will be starting our first flock in the spring. I am in the process of converting my smallest horse barn (10x16) into a hen house. I know we have mink and just about every other type of predator including snakes. Until I read these posts, I wasn't sure how much I should worry about the mink. Now I realize they are a huge threat. I want the hen house and adjacent run to be the chicken equivalent of Alcatraz (nothing gets in and nothing gets out unless I say so). lol All suggestions with regard to predator proofing will be gratefully accepted.

Sorry it took me so long to reply! I would use hardware cloth rather than chicken wire. Most predators can rip through chicken wire. Hardware cloth is a lot more durable. You'll want to bury the hardware cloth a few inches under the ground, that way nothing can burrow into it. Make sure to cover your ventilation holes as well; mink can climb up boards all the way to a roofline. (That's how they got my ducks -climbing up the cedar boards and dropping in through the roof). Personally I think it's better to spend the money up front and build Ft. Knox, rather than have to go back and do a bunch of little fixes. I know a lot of people are all about trapping, but I stand firmly by my philosophy of building structures in such a way that you don't have to worry about needing traps!