Weasel info?

[woodmort]

If a mouse can get through the hole, so can a weasel.

 

[gale65]

Quote:
So do you have 1/4" hardware cloth on your coop and run? We are going to be buying hardware cloth for our window covers and vents soon and I don't really want to spend the $$ on 1/4" but if I have to I will.

eta: on the current coop we have 1/2" hardware cloth. It is inside the run which has 2 x 4 fencing and chicken wire on the lower 4'. The new coop won't be in the run.

 

[WildBillHicks]

Didn't have any problems for three months then for the last week something has gotten in and killed two of my hens. After patching one hole and setting a trap I caught a huge racoon. It was too big IMO to get in the hole I patched. I killed it anyway but I was curious if that was the culprit.

Last night something got in, killed by biggest hen, dragged her body to the door and left her there with one leg chewed off. It appeared as if it wanted to take the hen outside to finish eating but the hen was too big so it chewed on her leg from the outside. The opening it got in was about 1" so I figured it was a weasel. I filled in that 1" gap. We'll see what happens next.

 

[woodmort]

Quote:
So do you have 1/4" hardware cloth on your coop and run? We are going to be buying hardware cloth for our window covers and vents soon and I don't really want to spend the $$ on 1/4" but if I have to I will.

eta: on the current coop we have 1/2" hardware cloth. It is inside the run which has 2 x 4 fencing and chicken wire on the lower 4'. The new coop won't be in the run.

I have 1/4" hardware cloth on the outside of all my windows that is fastened on with heavy fencing staples covered with lath. My run is just 6-foot high, heavy livestock wire but my birds are locked down in the coop at night. The weasel that got in came through a 1/2" hole mice had chewed under the edge of the main door--I knew it was there and just ignored it--since then the door has been replaced with a new on that has metal flashing around the bottom. [see my coop page]

 

[MadChickensVT]

I've heard that weasels can chew through raised wood floors.

 

[WildBillHicks]

What I thought might be a weasel (the hole was soooooo small) might actually be a small raccoon that I got in my trap last night. Another one down. Hopefully that's all.

 

[MEchickenfarmer33]

just make sure you dont leave any small holes for one to gain access to the inside of the coop and you should be fine

 

[extraordinaryfowl]

Thanks everyone! As I said, I've never had trouble with weasels but I will fix up my new coop like all my old with 1/2" hardware cloth.

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
the corrugated roofing some folks use on coops is one way they get in

 

[Wynette]

PM member shelleyb1969 if you have questions; she had an unfortunate weasel incident earlier thsi year, and did a bunch of research into it. She might be able to help you out with feedback as well.