mink outsmarting LGD?

[centrarchid]

Consider removing lower tiers and replacing with something like a stand alone sawhorse. You might also increase available roost space in upper tiers to reduce strife as setting in for night. Get them roosting up. I bet a mink can not make a 36" plus jump. Could you setup a baby monitor and have a dowel to use as a weapon?

 

[nchls school]

I had a mink raid my outdoor run last summer and killed a pullet during the early morning hours. I removed most of the chickens, but left a couple sacrificial ones. Along side the run I put a live trap baited with sliced ham. An hour later the dogs started to bark-a black mink had set off the trap and the mink problem was over before it had hardly started.

 

[Phoenixxx]

I have been considering getting a used baby monitor, I just haven't looked into what kind of range they'll work at (coop is about 50' from the house). Also, I'm a really, REALLY deep sleeper so noise over a baby monitor likely won't wake me. Heck, I'm a volunteer firefighter and half the time I sleep through my pager when it goes off! Weapons = semi auto pellet pistol and a pellet rifle. Live trap not working, might be too cold or a chicken leg isn't ideal bait BF borrowing a spring trap that hopefully his coworker remembered to bring today. I'll take the bottom roost out later; I don't think it's needed anyway now that I'm down to 15 chickens.

 

[centrarchid]

Baby monitors I have used worked more than 100' away. I also use a spot light to shine coops well before I get their and look for eye shine. Dowel I like because you can "reload" quickly and "shooting" yourself not lethal. Unfortunate you could not borrow a rat terrier of some sort. Some dogs have easy time of catching mink.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I had a mink raid my outdoor run last summer and killed a pullet during the early morning hours. I removed most of the chickens, but left a couple sacrificial ones. Along side the run I put a live trap baited with sliced ham. An hour later the dogs started to bark-a black mink had set off the trap and the mink problem was over before it had hardly started.

I'm always surprised to hear when people trap a predator, they think that is the only one.

I have been considering getting a used baby monitor, I just haven't looked into what kind of range they'll work at (coop is about 50' from the house). Also, I'm a really, REALLY deep sleeper so noise over a baby monitor likely won't wake me. Heck, I'm a volunteer firefighter and half the time I sleep through my pager when it goes off! Weapons = semi auto pellet pistol and a pellet rifle. Live trap not working, might be too cold or a chicken leg isn't ideal bait BF borrowing a spring trap that hopefully his coworker remembered to bring today. I'll take the bottom roost out later; I don't think it's needed anyway now that I'm down to 15 chickens.

Mink caused me to buy a baby monitor for the first time in almost 30 years.
I can't even hear roosters crow when I'm in my house. I put the monitor in the farthest building from my house which is about 500' away. It was one of only 2 building that still had live chickens in it. It works perfectly and my house is solid brick so the signal is very strong. It did save quite a few birds. I was awakened to thrashing and slamming as birds ran into walls in the dark. The chickens made no other audible sounds. I ran to the coop and a mink was making its way through the flock. I missed it when I tried to stomp it when it ran by. It got away.
This was after I killed another mink that was trapped in another coop when it figured out how to get in but not how to get out. That night I went out about 1 AM to check on everything and shining the flashlight in the window, rather than a rooster and hens on the roost, there was a mink sitting there.

 

[hayley3]

@ChickenCanoe
So are you saying you didn't hear anything the last time and the mink that was sitting on the roost had killed all your chickens by then?

That's good to know...that the chickens didn't make a sound. I'm surprised to hear that. I've been listening for them to let m e know and now I guess I'm not gonna hear that, although I think my goose would know to sound the alarm. She's next door in a different stall.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Yeah, all the birds were dead and only a mink sitting on the roost.
It was pitch dark out and all I had was a flashlight and a .22 revolver. It is a 3 unit building and each time I went to one window, he'd slip through to the other side. It took about 8 shots before I finally got him.

As for the sound, no chicken noises at all. Just banging as the mink bit each one on the neck. I lost 6 flocks of chickens in 6 nights. It/they didn't eat a bite of meat.
Because of the baby monitor I was able to save about 20 birds that night.
I know there are still some around here but I've closed off every opening over 1/2"
If it were light the chickens would have made all kinds of noise but they couldn't see what was coming.

 

[hayley3]

Wow, that's tough.

I have a 22 rifle which is much easier to shoot than my 25 but it takes two hands to use cause it's bolt action. (I feel safer with it having to load the bullet each time)
I go over what I would do in my mind if I had to run to the barn in the middle of the night and what I would find inside when I threw back the door. Whether it would leap out at me or what.

Someone else mentioned having a night light and I used to have one but I can't find any night lights that last outdoors. I could leave on a light bulb but that's too much light but after reading your story, I might start doing that. Maybe if my goose could see she 'd stop honking at all hours of the night. I know her warning honk but mostly she honks at every sound she hears but then everyone in the barn is still nervous because of the massacre in early November. Although I only lost 6, it was devastating.

 

[nchls school]

I'm always surprised to hear when people trap a predator, they think that is the only one.


Mink caused me to buy a baby monitor for the first time in almost 30 years.
I can't even hear roosters crow when I'm in my house. I put the monitor in the farthest building from my house which is about 500' away. It was one of only 2 building that still had live chickens in it. It works perfectly and my house is solid brick so the signal is very strong. It did save quite a few birds. I was awakened to thrashing and slamming as birds ran into walls in the dark. The chickens made no other audible sounds. I ran to the coop and a mink was making its way through the flock. I missed it when I tried to stomp it when it ran by. It got away.
This was after I killed another mink that was trapped in another coop when it figured out how to get in but not how to get out. That night I went out about 1 AM to check on everything and shining the flashlight in the window, rather than a rooster and hens on the roost, there was a mink sitting there.

In my case the mink was the only one; no more were caught and there was no evidence of more, but you are right-see one and there's probably more.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I always say, if you build it, they will come.
A mink was the last thing I expected. My family has been raising chickens within a mile of here since the 1870s. Never had mink before. Wal-Mart built a store about 1/2 mile away as the crow flies. They cleared about 80 acres of old forest along a creek that runs at the bottom of the hill from my house. Voila - mink!!!

You know what I'm saying though. I've seen people say that so many times about catching a raccoon. They think the problem is solved.
When I hear that

I usually refer them to the following video.

ONE RACOON!!! Where in the world is that?