Weasel in the coop.

[Hokum Coco]

I had 11 chick that I got at the feed store being raised by a broody hen. I let them free range during the day and pen them up at night. Long story short I went out today to one chick and mama. Mama bristled up and went into defense mode. That is when I notice Mr weasel under a shelving unit. I opened up the coop and gave him 8 hours to escape. Long story short he did not take advantage of my generosity. He must have got in during the day when the coop was open and laid in wait for them at night. Things were 100% when I locked then up at dusk.

 

[Howard E]

So he got 10 of 11 chicks?

Are you sure he got 8 hours escape time? I might not have given him 8 seconds.

I notice our fish and game bunch list weasels as "around but rare". They see them as beneficial and would like to have more of them. Their claim is they kill mice and rats and lots of them. If they would limit their kills to just rats and mice, they might be a benefit. But they also kill chickens with equal enthusiasm, so for now, I'm liking the rare part.

When you see that guy resting peacefully on a shovel you get a sense of scale and how small they really are. A coop tight enough to keep one of those out would have to be awfully tight.

 

[chickendreams24]

So sorry for your losses and for poor Momma hen. She must have felt so inadequate unable to protect her babies. Glad you got him. I don't think I would have given him 8 seconds either as he would've been back. We have lost 17+ birds to predators this year ranging from broody chicks several weeks old to adult hens and even a 13-15 lb rooster. Our culprits that we know of have been a coyote and a fox possibly a hawk but I don't really think they ever got one. Plus they are protected. Sometimes it's frustrating owning chickens. Good luck. Hope things get look brighter soon.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I really did not want to kill him he was only doing what weasels are meant to do.
Trouble is I have my homing pigeons in that same building. Moving them while the weasel was in the loft was out of the question. As it was I lost one of my best ♀ breeder to him plus 2 eggs she was incubating (She nested on the floor with this clutch) That happened during his 8 hour reprieve.

That was next to the FINAL straw!

I added a portion on to a live trap to house a pigeon in to lure him out. He was wary of the trap (I do not think he would have gone in) and while he was trying to evaluate the situation. I lost patience (I am sorry). I ventilated his cranium with a 22 LR Stinger fired from a Savage Bolt Action Repeater. I should have put a piece of glass between the pigeon and the trip treadle in stead of wire mesh. The Weasel did go in the trap but would not step on the tripping treadle. .

So he got 10 of 11 chicks? He got 11 of 12.

Are you sure he got 8 hours escape time? Yes I might not have given him 8 seconds.

I notice our fish and game bunch list weasels as "around but rare". They see them as beneficial and would like to have more of them. Their claim is they kill mice and rats and lots of them. If they would limit their kills to just rats and mice, they might be a benefit. But they also kill chickens with equal enthusiasm, so for now, I'm liking the rare part.

Weasels are very beneficial I agree.

A coop tight enough to keep one of those out would have to be awfully tight.

I thought my loft was bottle tight and kept my birds safe from predators for over a year weasels included. After closer investigation I realize the weasel may have squeezed through a small opening between my barn doors. The building shifted as it has been settling after being moved to a new location on my property. I took action on that problem the gap was just over ½" but less than an inch. This was my second loss to a weasel and I did not seek retribution on the first.

Just goes to show one must be ever vigilant.

I did become too complacent in hind sight because I had noticed the small gap before hand and failed to take action.

 

[MontserratChick]

I feel your pain. I live in France and last week we came out in the morning to find 3 of our newest chickens missing and 7 others dead on the floor of the run with their heads bitten off. We had brought the eggs all the way from the UK in April (1,000 mile drive) and hatched them and raised them with such care in the house and they were all big, lovely young birds - Norfolk Greys and Cream Legbars. Apparently the 'fouie' or Stone Marten kills until birds stop making noise, which as we know means never. I was devastated. We have no chance of getting it but we have spent a LOT of time since making our run (a several hundred year old stone barn) predator proof. Hard when they can get through anything less than 5cm wide.

 

[TerryH]

I feel your pain. I live in France and last week we came out in the morning to find 3 of our newest chickens missing and 7 others dead on the floor of the run with their heads bitten off. We had brought the eggs all the way from the UK in April (1,000 mile drive) and hatched them and raised them with such care in the house and they were all big, lovely young birds - Norfolk Greys and Cream Legbars. Apparently the 'fouie' or Stone Marten kills until birds stop making noise, which as we know means never. I was devastated. We have no chance of getting it but we have spent a LOT of time since making our run (a several hundred year old stone barn) predator proof. Hard when they can get through anything less than 5cm wide.

So sorry. I know that has to be tough.

 

[TerryH]

I had 11 chick that I got at the feed store being raised by a broody hen. I let them free range during the day and pen them up at night. Long story short I went out today to one chick and mama. Mama bristled up and went into defense mode. That is when I notice Mr weasel under a shelving unit. I opened up the coop and gave him 8 hours to escape. Long story short he did not take advantage of my generosity. He must have got in during the day when the coop was open and laid in wait for them at night. Things were 100% when I locked then up at dusk.

Wow. So sorry.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Wow. So sorry.
I just hope someone on the Backyard Chicken site can learn from my complacency.

 

[TerryH]

I feel exactly the same way about the issues that came up from us using fresh wood chips in our run and infecting and killing some of our birds with Aspergillus fungus. Hopefully some can learn from the mistakes made.

 

[RxApple]

1/4" gap? How could they get through that?


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