The mink killing my chickens are coming from my neighbors!

[Fudgie]

To get on a good foot with the neighbors, tell them you have trapped and killed several mink and since talking to her the other day, you realize we can make a very good investment. Since she raises them, why not allow them to trap the mink and tame them!

Tell them you want them off your property and if they don't want to trap them and tame them, then you will continue to trap and kill them.

Just an idea and it might make the neighbors wake up.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I've always read that to keep weasels out, you should use 1/2" hardware cloth.

I would definitely talk to them and let them know what's been going on. Maybe you could find out if the escapes are a chronic problem or if they had lost a few (and how many) at one point, that are now just living in the wild and showing up at your place.

You could try reading up on trapping and keep a trap set all the time. You can try bolstering your defenses. Would a big dog help? I really feel for you. What a lousy situation.

It wouldn't be a bad idea for them to make more of an effort to trap their own escapees.

 

[Western Chick]

Thanks for all the advice. I do plan to talk to them, I just don't know how to do it without sounding like I'm accusing (which I guess I'm doing anyway) or at least doing it diplomatically.

They raise the mink for fur. There is another mink farm on the other side of us that does as well, however they've been doing it for years and we rarely saw mink out before this year...maybe once every 3-5 years a mink would wander into the barn.

 

[Western Chick]

Quote:
Unfortunately our "big dog" is a wuss. She can chase but that's about as far as she'll go.

I've read about trapping them and it's very difficult. They're very cautious about new things and bait in a trap is not very appealing to them...especially when my chubby meat chickens are an easy target. I'm getting some minnows to put out tonight, I've heard they're pretty tempting to mink.

 

[mikeksfarmer]

Take pics of the Minks you catch. Document your losses. Contact parks and wildlife or game warden (same thing) show the pics. Game warden will have solution for control or correction if its a fur prodiction related issue, the Warden should be able to offer you some options. Specialist, Trapper, leagle, or control methods that work better than what you have. My hopes go with you.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

You need my dog. She'd love to take care of the problem for you. I've read that trapping weasels is a tougher job. It's too bad they're not more like raccoons. "Hey! That looks tasty!" I was just trying to think of all the possible things you could try.

That last suggestion looks interesting. Maybe they could help you out.

 

[AngieChick]

Quote:
" Domestic mink, which are bred in fur farms, are different from wild mink. Domestic mink are found to have 19.6 percent smaller brains, 8.1 percent smaller hearts, and 28.2 percent smaller spleens than wild mink do (Kruska and Schreiber 1999; Kurska 1996).

Domestic mink are larger than wild mink, which may cause problems with the ecosystem when they escape. Mink are solitary, territorial animals and are intolerant of other mink. In times of overpopulation, mink control their own numbers by either killing each other through direct conflict or by causing weaker mink to be driven from territory until starvation sets in (Dunstone 1993). When hundreds or thousands of released domestic mink flood an ecosystem, it causes a great disturbance for the wild mink. This disturbance causes the deaths of the majority of the released mink and many of the wild mink. Most of the released and wild mink in the area die slow deaths, due to starvation, or from injuries from the unnaturally high number of mink fighting for a territory (Dunstone 1993). When a domestic mink survives long enough to reproduce, it may cause problems for the wild mink populations (Bowman et al. 2007). The adding of weaker domestic mink genes into wild mink populations, is believed by some, to have contributed to the decline of mink populations in Canada (Bowman et al. 2007)."

Sorry, I know it was windy, but from OP description of the neighbor's mink, they are of the domestic variety.

I do totally agree that talking to your neighbors is the best approach, rather than some of the heavier handed methods. They will hopefully handle the situation with maturity. It's really for their own sake that you speak with them, if you are having issues others probably are as well and may not start off with just a conversation, it's best they hear it from you first. Also, there could be legal consequences for their domestic mink escaping into the wild, I'm not sure. Either way, I'm sure it's best they hear it from the place of compassion that you are clearly showing.

 

[Clay In Iowa]

In the end a question to you all (no need to answer with a post).

Who would you rather be confronted by: a concerned neighbor or a guy with a badge?

You sick a dude with a badge on me before you let me know what the problem is and you've made a life long enemy. I'll have a cop at your front door every time I even think I heard a cock crow. You stop by and let me know something I'm doing is causing you problems and you do it in a nice way. I'll go out of my way to correct it. and make dang sure you don't have any more trouble. Then I'll have you over for my annual summer BBQ.

 

[Fudgie]

Quote:
AMEN!!!!!

Soooo, Clay in Iowa,

Dude, I got a problem......I was wondering why you never invite me over for the Annual Summer BBQ. You know I could donate some eggs for the deviled egg platter if you just invite me over. I feel so lonely and unappreciated. You guys make so much noise and have so much fun it really makes me feel bad. Do you think you can do something about that, can you make that right?

Sorry couldn't help myself, I am feeling a little ornery today!

 

[Clay In Iowa]

I'll let you know when and where.

I usually end up doing 5-7 racks of ribs slow smoked Texas Style, some Thai Chicken Satay and some Shrimp Satay with peanut sauce, BBQ beans chips and Pico De Gallo. My wife does the deserts.

It'll be next summer, of course, hence the name Summer BBQ.


See you next summer.

Oh and "In Iowa" isn't really my last name