My one-woman battle against Nature

[CMV]

So sorry for your losses. I, too, live next to a wildlife corridor, so I have all manner of creatures wandering through my backyard every day. It's a great educational experience for my young child, but it makes poultry keeping hellishly difficult. I sounds like most folks here have addressed your current predator problem, so I won't belabor that point. I wanted to comment about your fencing. I have a fully enclosed run- 2' of 1/2" hardware cloth apron staked down with tent pegs, 2' of 1/2" hardware cloth around the lower portion of the fence, 4' of 2" welded wire around the upper portion of the fence, cover of deer netting and a complete second perimeter of electrified netting outside the interior fence. Without the exterior perimeter of electrified netting I would not be able to keep my birds safe. I have a small gap under the run door I use to enter and leave the run. There is no way to not have the gap and still have a door that swings, but that gap allows access to the smallest of the predators- weasels and minks, both of which I have in abundance. If you have the netting already then I would recommend you do the same thing I have. It's a bit of a nuisance having to step over the first fence and then open up the second fence to work with the birds, but I haven't had a loss yet while my birds are penned. The hot fence will not be as effective if it gets covered in snow, but I just try to keep as much snow and ice as possible off mine during the worst of the winter.

Good luck.

 

[gingin]

My girls are safe and hiding out in my basement! I have four left... ugh.... but that's better than losing them all. I set up a mini-coop inside for them, so they'll be safe until I get this killer.

I went to buy some rat poison but was told weasels can vomit, so it won't work on them. Came home with some rat traps for tonight. I haven't built a weasel box yet, but looks like that'll be the next project. Thanks so much for the tip, theFox!

I had a neighbor kill a fisher in August, it was a female that had had a litter. Do you suppose this creature could be a baby fisher?

 

[gingin]

CMV, I missed your post before... it's good to hear you haven't had losses lately. The odd thing is I've kept chickens for years, the first few years totally free around the yard (before I knew any better) and never lost one hen. Then the bear caught on and it's been a problem ever since, but I suppose it was inevitable and I was lucky then.

I get deep snow here, but if you're in NH you probably get some, too... I take it you keep the hot fence up all year long? How tall is your net fence?

Next Spring I'm going to go to town and get someone in here with machinery to help get through the rocky soil... if I can talk my husband into it, I'll have them dig up a trench and maybe pour concrete around the run. I know wire mesh below the surface will rust, so I thought concrete will keep the buggers out. Then I'll overkill it by putting an apron of mesh as you have, around the base of the fence. I am determined to win this battle and keep my chickens!

 

[CMV]

Yeah, we get some pretty deep snow in winter, too (except for last year; not that I'm complaining

). My netting is anywhere from 24-48 inches high depending on what I need it for. Currently I have 36 inch high (easier to step over) as a perimeter, but I will be swapping it out for 48 inch high in the winter. I keep the snow off the fence as much as I can, but along the back of the fence is impossible to keep clear as it sits up against a rock wall (speaking of rocky soil...). Still, even with 50 feet of the fence under a snow load the fence will get your attention. I couldn't live here and keep poultry if I didn't use the electric fencing.

 

[theFox]

Quote:
It depends on whether the little nasties survived and how much momma taught them. Those are also mean critters. You won't catch them in any weasel box, they are too big.

 

[ivan3]

Depending on the current live trap you're using, you could try suspending the bait in trap (has to pull it down - can't step over trigger): https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=2754962#p2754962
If you try this place bait in plastic mesh bag - the bloodier the better.

 

[theFox]

Some sizing information about Fishers, and it is likely that those young ones are now on their own and fully capable of causing you trouble.

Males and females are similar in appearance but the males are larger in size. Males are between 90 to 120 centimeters (35–47 in) in length and weigh between 3.5 to 5 kilograms (8–11 lb). Females measure 75 to 95 centimeters (30–37 in) and weigh between 2 to 2.5 kilograms (4–6 lb).[4] The fur of the fisher varies seasonally, being denser and glossier in the winter. During the summer the colors become more mottled as the fur goes through a molting cycle. Fishers prefer to hunt in full forest. While they are agile climbers most of their time is spent on the forest floor. They also prefer to forage where there is a lot of fallen dead wood on the forest floor. Fishers are omnivorous and will feed on a wide variety of small animals and occasionally fruits and mushrooms. They show a preference for Snowshoe Hare and are one of the few predators that can successfully hunt porcupine.[5] Despite their name, fishers seldom eat fish.

 

[theFox]

Quote:
Google Weasel Box. Build a couple insert some victor rat traps, bait with bloody chicken livers.

OUCH!! Sounds deadly and effective!

.

Good luck and let us know when you get him! I hope you don't lose anymore girls!!

Shelly

That they are, do not use them where the chickens are. They can just as easily do in a chicken they are for outside of the pens and runs. Keep the birds away from them.