My husband seems to think the leg trap I have may function, I think he's oiling it now. Last night I lost another duckling (that was penned up) and I think three of the young Ameraucanas? It was also in the duck pen, one Runner is injured and I had to put down a Appleyard.
I don't know where to set the trap for the Mink, since it has been in the back coop, in the garage, in the pen behind the house. Sigh. What I am *really* afraid of is that its a female with a den!
I had to let the young stuff out since its too hot (and I was out of food) and they will NOT stay in the yard. 5 more are gone. I swear, they can't free range without getting picked off, can't be penned without getting picked off. I sat here today and thought well, where am I going to put the ducklings tonight? The mink and the fox have been in every single pen. The Ameraucana pen is *kinda* secure, but I think it could get in if it wanted, since the Ameraucanas are constantly getting OUT.
So I just went for a walk thru the brush, heat and bugs to see if I could figure out where the ducks were going or if I could find the den, I found a really old gravestone, that is all. Kinda creepy!
There are no neighbors that the ducks could be showing up at, so near as I can figure, when they wander off the property they are wandering into a den (Fox or Coyote would be my guess. )
I'm setting the box traps tonight, not that I have ever caught a fox or mink in either. I'm also setting out salted carcasses, at least since my cat is dead I don't have to worry about killing it now. I think the neighbors cats gave mine a fatal disease, is it bad that I am not concerned with catching one of their cats?
They sell leg traps out at Pine Creek in Lyons, if the chicken sale had not fallen thru I could have afforded to go buy a bunch. Apparently I was supposed to run around in the heat yesterday to catch stuff, I said either you catch or you wait til evening when it cools down and I have help.
So if anyone is interested in trading me something I can use besides missing/dead chickens and ducks, make me an offer.
If you can come here, and trap this Fox complete with den, you can HAVE my Runners as thanks, lol The hunters train their hunting dogs back there, so I'm like they must be the worlds worst hunting dogs?
I'm kinda feeling depressed about the whole thing. There is like no safe place on the whole property!