Weasel... Darn it not again!!

[HeatherlovesherBirds]

Hey everyone! I have a few question do weasels become trap smart or do they just move on, because they have had close calls and scared them away... Reason I ask is, because have a weasel hasn't got my chickens or other birds I keep...I believe its dead mate killed one of my chickens and wounded 3 more it has been nearly a month and my wounded bird are almost healed almost ready to go back to the coop...We had snow up here in Maine couple nights ago and the following morning after the storm...I went out to let my girls out and noticed that I had tracks going around and around my coop stopping everytime up next to the doors of coop. I realized right away what this was and that day set traps and still he would set the traps off we set rat traps and live traps. yesterday we had a nice day and I was to scared to let my girls out..then last night the damn thing didn't touch a trap...I want to believe it moved on, but find that hard to believe and kinds foolish but...do they or is it trap smart...I loved my girls and don't want to lose even one I have lost 6 this winter most to natural causes ...but one too a weasel..and three was wounded pretty bad.. what's your ideas can ya help me with this one... Thank you

 

[Shadrach]

If this weasel is attacking chickens in the coop it means the coop is not secure and that would be the first step to take; make the coop secure.
If the weasel is attacking your chickens while they are in a run, then the run is not secure, so secure the run.
If you are free ranging your chickens and the weasel is attacking them as they free range you can either confine them to a secure run or accept that with free ranging comes some losses due to predation.

 

[Sue S]

First, I would make sure your pen/run is secure, use hardware cloth instead of chicken wire. I have every square inch of any open space on my run & even the windows of the new duck house covered in hardware cloth ( the smallest you can buy, I think I use 1/4 inch). 2nd, I would continue to use a live trap ( not rat trap ) to try to catch the weasel, eventually you should be able to catch it ( it took me about a week to catch a raccoon that was messing with me duck pen ) also, set up a trail camera to make sure it is a weasel. Good luck!!!

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Why not find where the weasel is getting in and put the trap there?

 

[HeatherlovesherBirds]

We fixed the coop.. there was a small hole in the door and I didn't know it I replace the door he can't get into the chicken coop....it's my run that I am worried about...even though he didn't set the traps off this morning when I went out to check them again I saw him under our Lobster bait fridge and my husband tired to shoot it but this weasel is very small half the size of the other one we killed and my run is completely closed in but with chicken wire and I'm pretty sure this weasel can fit threw very small hole. It is just a little bit bigger then a large mouse. Never had a weasel and I have had chickens for 6 years til now ... But at night they are safe...it day time I'm worried...it looks like a baby weasel I finally saw the damn thing..and I can't believe how small this one is.

 

[meglynnie]

I would put up the 1/2 hardware cloth over your run to prevent the weasel from getting through the holes. The chickens will be safe and you will no longer stress.

 

[HeatherlovesherBirds]

First, I would make sure your pen/run is secure, use hardware cloth instead of chicken wire. I have every square inch of any open space on my run & even the windows of the new duck house covered in hardware cloth ( the smallest you can buy, I think I use 1/4 inch). 2nd, I would continue to use a live trap ( not rat trap ) to try to catch the weasel, eventually you should be able to catch it ( it took me about a week to catch a raccoon that was messing with me duck pen ) also, set up a trail camera to make sure it is a weasel. Good luck!!!

Thank you...I have a gaint run and sad thing is 6 years ago when we were looking into getting chickens the guy at the Chicken store told us to use 1 inch chicken wire so my entire run is made of this...I finally saw it this morning after making this post...and this weasel is very small over half the size of the one we killed...

 

[llombardo]

I'm surprised that it's stomping all the way around and has not gotten in through the wire. The last few months I was hearing an unfamiliar noise across the way and I learned it's mink from what I have heard on the Internet, then I found out there is a large source of water in that General direction.

I do have hardware cloth from top to bottom and out about 2 feet on the ground and I added electric fencing.

 

[Folly's place]

You should reinforce everything, as others have already mentioned. Keep your birds in their safe coop and make the run safe ASAP! If the varmit can't get in, it will move on elsewhere. Live traps are more effective, and then your 22 will take care of it permanently. More will arrive if your coop and run aren't safe!
Consider upgrading a smaller run, and expand it as you can.
Mary

 

[HeatherlovesherBirds]

Got the weasel he/ she no longer lives.