Minnesota!

[duluthralphie]

He thought fisher but after looking pictures up online it is most likely mink.

So aside from sitting outside all night long waiting for it with buckshot, how would a person rid themselves of the mink? A live trap? I only have the small foot snare one I used last summer on the ground squirrels. Would that be effective? How do I keep the cats out of it?

Cats will be a problem.

I would make a V and place bait at the tip of the V with a leg hold trap before the bait, but that is a sure way to get cats, too.


You can use sizes 1 1/2 or mink, 2 for fisher, I think. I have not trapped a lot of fisher, two is all, so I am a long ways from an expert. I would use the double spring jump trap on them to try and get higher on the leg. BUT with cats, that you like or even kind of care for, you could be forced into a live trap, or a box trap like was described for weasels, (just a bigger hole) But that may not keep out all cats either.

As much as I like Cyrus's coop, the one thing I would change is the ramp, just to make it harder for a fur bearing critter to get up to the roosts. ( Sorry Cyrus)

Do you have a ramp in your coop? I would take it down and make the birds fly up there.

Can you lock the cats up?

Without knowing the terrain you live on, it could be just a single male passing through. (but you will never know and that can be worse than having one you get rid of.)

Needless to say, if and when you get rid of him, the best thing you can say is "he is gone" or "he has moved on" and do not elaborate. No sense inviting a visit from a Deputy or the local warden, even if you are in the right. On the other hand, If you know the local wardens well, and if he seems like a square shooter, you could ask him what he thinks before hand. I kind of think he would say if the mink/fisher has not done any damage you have to leave him alone. ( your call)

Maybe if you have a place surrounded by water you could set a trap there, if a cat cannot get there. That however, could be seen by the local warden as trapping a mink/fisher that is in it's natural element and not threatening your animals.


Predators are such a pain, good luck.

 

[Cyrus83]

Its funny you mention that Ralphie, the ramp is already down. they all jumped up there last night so I figured why take up the floor space AND give varmints a easy path?

 

[duluthralphie]

I candled eggs in the incubator..

The good news is all 7 diamond encrusted creamette eggs are developing, including the one I used nail polish hardener on...


The bad news, I could not see any signs of life in the turkey eggs, not a one of them.....major bummer here. I will try again next week..

 

[Triplell]

Hello everyone,

Ralphie, they were hatched last March and i had everyone go into a heavy moltting in December through Febuary, so when they start laying again they are small then will get larger. I have found that just giving layer feed 15-17℅ doesnt create strong chicks. I only feed 20-24℅ to my breeders with only oats as a treat. Scratch lowers the protein to much plus makes them fat and not lay. I guarentee that the CL hen's were breed with 2 CL roosters. I only have LF Cochin Roosters and they are kept with their own breed and color. Plus my Cochins would have flattend those hens like a pancake, LOL. In the 3 years that I had the Cream Legbars I had 5 black chicks for some unknown reason and none survived. I'm at a loss as to why. When I started hatching I had maybe 10% hatch and survive with feeding layer feed with free ranging. I too use a fleet farm incubators. I keep a towel covering to maintain the humidity without ups and downs.

Well I have a
Splash LF Cochin cockerel for sale. $15.00
Cream Legbar Rooster for sale. $15.00

Right now my life is in shambles, I broke my foot in March. Doing chores are no fun. Trying to find an attorney to handle my divorce with no money to pay is stressing me out.
I have 3 Muscovy ducks setting on eggs so when they hatch I will have ducklings for sale.

I'm spending alot of time in the barn for a stress reliver and trying to figure how to make 3 small coops with out any money and dont want to ask my Dad. Hope everyone is doind good.

 

[duluthralphie]

Hello everyone,

Ralphie, they were hatched last March and i had everyone go into a heavy moltting in December through Febuary, so when they start laying again they are small then will get larger. I have found that just giving layer feed 15-17℅ doesnt create strong chicks. I only feed 20-24℅ to my breeders with only oats as a treat. Scratch lowers the protein to much plus makes them fat and not lay. I guarentee that the CL hen's were breed with 2 CL roosters. I only have LF Cochin Roosters and they are kept with their own breed and color. Plus my Cochins would have flattend those hens like a pancake, LOL. In the 3 years that I had the Cream Legbars I had 5 black chicks for some unknown reason and none survived. I'm at a loss as to why. When I started hatching I had maybe 10% hatch and survive with feeding layer feed with free ranging. I too use a fleet farm incubators. I keep a towel covering to maintain the humidity without ups and downs.

Well I have a
Splash LF Cochin cockerel for sale. $15.00
Cream Legbar Rooster for sale. $15.00

Right now my life is in shambles, I broke my foot in March. Doing chores are no fun. Trying to find an attorney to handle my divorce with no money to pay is stressing me out.
I have 3 Muscovy ducks setting on eggs so when they hatch I will have ducklings for sale.

I'm spending alot of time in the barn for a stress reliver and trying to figure how to make 3 small coops with out any money and dont want to ask my Dad. Hope everyone is doind good.

Thanks Triplell, I thought that was what you said. I was not sure because the one that hatched and died did not look like the pictures I saw, BUT it was so sickly and matted down it just looked weird like a naked robin baby. I did have one of the girls get out when I was working in their coop, but I ran her down right away and put her back.. However, Ole did notice her and wanted to run her down too. Ole is such a horrible horn dog! I can see why EJB got rid of him, I bet Ole likes pigeons too.

I forgot about you telling me about the higher protein, Tomorrow they go to it. I was thinking of doing that anyways. Also coming out of molt explains the egg size.. I really appreciate it.

I gave them a bigger run than I originally planned to, so I think they are happy. They have a 10x65 ft run now.


What do you mean by a towel covering?


I am sorry to hear about your troubles, I wish you well and hope everything gets better. Do not be such a stranger here....and thanks

******

Question to you incubators.... what moisture level do you try to maintain? I read incubating 101. I just want to know what you all do... Do you think it would make sense to run a higher moisture level in the hatcher after the bad dry hatch I had?


*********

 

[Rhetts]

We lost our best drake last night.

I came home to find the ducks out back on the pond. They would not come off for anything. By the time I gave up it was dark out. Nothing I could do. I figured if they stuck close to the pond they would probably be safer than up by the house. Today I was unable to find any evidence of what happened. I will have to put them away before I leave from now on I think instead of waiting for night chores at 7:30.

 

[duluthralphie]

We lost our best drake last night.

I came home to find the ducks out back on the pond. They would not come off for anything. By the time I gave up it was dark out. Nothing I could do. I figured if they stuck close to the pond they would probably be safer than up by the house. Today I was unable to find any evidence of what happened. I will have to put them away before I leave from now on I think instead of waiting for night chores at 7:30.

Bummer!!!!

Do you think it was the critter your DH saw the other day? Best of luck on finding the reason for his being missing.

Getting ducks of a pond, I can imagine, would not be easy....


I sold my last two chicks, I talked to my wife to tell her Princess Di and BooBoo (our grand daughter named it) were moving to a new home.... I thought she would be happy....



Let me just say, she was not.... I can never win....

 

[Rhetts]

Bummer!!!!

Do you think it was the critter your DH saw the other day? Best of luck on finding the reason for his being missing.

Getting ducks of a pond, I can imagine, would not be easy....


I sold my last two chicks, I talked to my wife to tell her Princess Di and BooBoo (our grand daughter named it) were moving to a new home.... I thought she would be happy....



Let me just say, she was not.... I can never win....

I can't say what got him. Could have been any thing really. I found no blood or feathers or even anything of him so what ever it was took off with him.

My husband says you are darned if you do and darned if you don't with your DW. He says the same thing about me.

 

[duluthralphie]

I can't say what got him. Could have been any thing really. I found no blood or feathers or even anything of him so what ever it was took off with him.

My husband says you are darned if you do and darned if you don't with your DW. He says the same thing about me.

Your husband sounds like a very wise man, he should write fortune cookies for men..

 

[Chickenchick11]

We lost our best drake last night.   I came home to find the ducks out back on the pond. They would not come off for anything.  By the time I gave up it was dark out.  Nothing I could do.  I figured if they stuck close to the pond they would probably be safer than up by the house.  Today I was unable to find any evidence of what happened.  I will have to put them away before I leave from now on I think instead of waiting for night chores at 7:30.

That's a bummer! Hopefully you will find the culprit soon.