new and need some help

[terris1959]

Hi, I joined today and need some more information on how I can trap or kill the weasel or mink that has been mutilating my flock of chickens over the past month or so. Before the attacks I had 60 chickens and now we are down to three. I have seen the animal so I know it is a weasel or mink. The first 4 attacks were all at night, But yesterday morning I put my 6 silkie chicks out in their pen in the morning after daylight (I have been keeping them in my laundry room at night since this started happening)and gave them all water and food. Then my son and I went job hunting. When I returned that afternoon and went to look at the chicks they were all dead and the neighbor man said he saw the weasel or mink running around the chicken pens. It is getting really brave coming out in the daylight. I have been setting the live traps with mice that are in a wire box and also beef liver but neither of those work.
today I baited the live traps with several of the dead chickens and also made a wood tunnel and placed 2 snap rat traps inside with one of the dead chickens in the middle of them. I would like anyone to give me more ideas on how I could catch the darn thing before he decides he wants to have our phesants for his midnight snack, I am assuming they are probably on his menu too.
The funny thing is we have had 4 chickens and 4 ducks for a year and a half before we ever got the 60 others and never had any problems with anything being killed.
Of the 3 chickens that are left the rooster is a fighting chicken that we picked up at a monthly poultry auction (because he was really pretty) and he was in with the 13 chickens that were killed in the first attack but he lived through it untouched but the other 2 in the pen with him were killed, maybe we should just let him patrol the yard because I think he really can fight.
Please if anyone has any other ideas on how to get rid of this critter let me know because he killed all of my little babies.
thanks in advance
terris1959

 

[DoctorGoose]

Well, if he's coming out in the daylight, shoot him! Or you could take some chicken from the supermarket, sprinkle some feathers on it, and fill it with anitfreeze (the good old fashioned kind) or a hotdog. You can also purchase some chicken livers from the supermarket, or go to your local butcher and ask for the entrails. (I've heard that weasels like bloody stuff).

Good luck!

 

[Stormhorse23]

dont mess around with live traps. kill it. with that many dead, you deserve some peace.

 

[silkiechicken]

Sorry for you loss! That is a lot of birds! I would stake out and shoot it dead or get a trapper of some sort and kill it. You need to get peace back!