Weasels! How do I keep them out?!

[halfpintlc]

So we just lost 3 of our roos to weasels. After the attack, I moved the other 2 boys back into the main coop with all of the girls and it seemed like we managed to dispose of the weasels causing the problem. But then, this evening, everyone was out in the run and we heard a lot of noise and I went running, only to find a weasel chasing my girls (and guys). We quickly dispatched of it and got everyone safely inside. Now I have to figure out what the best way to keep them safe is. I was planning to pick up 1/4" hardware cloth in the morning to wrap around the bottom of the run, at least 2' high. Does anyone have any suggestions on anything else I can do? I just want them to be safe.

 

[50-45-1]

You need to fashon a wooden box 8 in.X 8 inX 2 ft long, with a hinged lid. Place a hasp or something to keep your neighbors dog from opening it.
Nail down a regular wooden Victor rat trap in the center.
Bait it with the bloodiest raw hunk of meat you can find or one half of a fresh mouse.
wire it to the trigger.
Make a 1 1/2 inch hole at both ends.
This trap is chicken dog and cat proof, and the weasels will love it.
Place it outside your coop along the wall. Anchor it if you can so something doesent try to tip it over and take what they smell inside, like racoons or something.
You build it and they will come.
Good luck!

 

[cresent moon poultry]

Set rat snap traps all around outside the coop and run. you NEED to get that weasel gone ASAP. he will kill your intire flock in a matter of days. a weasal killed 30 of my chicks in one night. weasals kill for fun.


PS. the best bait for weasals is chicken or fish inerds

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

You need to fashon a wooden box 8 in.X 8 inX 2 ft long, with a hinged lid. Place a hasp or something to keep your neighbors dog from opening it.
Nail down a regular wooden Victor rat trap in the center.
Bait it with the bloodiest raw hunk of meat you can find or one half of a fresh mouse.
wire it to the trigger.
Make a 1 1/2 inch hole at both ends.
This trap is chicken dog and cat proof, and the weasels will love it.
Place it outside your coop along the wall. Anchor it if you can so something doesent try to tip it over and take what they smell inside, like racoons or something.
You build it and they will come.
Good luck!

That sounds like a great trap....do you have a photo of such? I’m a visual learner.... and interested as well....

 

[50-45-1]

so, my husband actually know this box design from Fur Fish and Game magazine from when he was a kid. I looked around on the internet and found an article similar to what he remembered.
here is the website

http://ecofarmingdaily.com/snap-build-a-weasel-trap-to-protect-your-poultry/

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

What a great idea!! I would post this in the predator section for others to see..... Thanks for sharing!

 

[Fishkeeper]

1/4" hardware cloth will absolutely keep one out. I'm not sure how well they climb. I do know they can fit through any gap the size of a quarter, so make sure your door shuts tightly.
Try and figure out how it's getting in while you're working on trapping it.

 

[halfpintlc]

Thank you so much! I am headed to the store very soon to get what I need. We have managed to "dispose" (to put it nicely) of 4 weasels in the last week. I know exactly how they got in to our smaller coop, and we will be making the necessary repairs. Our large coop is pretty secure, no openings below 6 feet other than the pop door, and man door, so if the run is secured we should be good. The little bugger ran right through the chicken wire. Looks like we will have to keep traps out for good, as they don't seem to be giving up.

 

[123RedBeard]

Weasels can climb ... so run would need to be totally enclosed ... 1/4" hardware cloth gives them good grip to climb up it ...

Weasels die in "weasel box traps" like mentioned above ...

Weasels don't like electric fences ... or shotguns!

 

[townchicks]

Best is to enclose your entire run in hardware cloth. As you have found out, killing some does not solve the problem. Putting traps out may temporarily help, but you may not know you have more, until you come out to find dead bodies.