Weasels!!!

[Murielfarms]

Help!! I have a weasel taking out all my chickens. I woke up the other day to 9 dead chickens in the coop. The chickens looked barely touched but were dead all over the floor. I assumed a weasel and that he got in through a vent hole that wasn't covered. I covered the vent hole securely, and couldn't find any other possible holes, but the two days later woke up to two more dead chickens. I've checked everywhere for possible holes that he can be getting in, and set a live trap and some sticky traps in the back area of the coop where the chickens can't reach and he seems to be hanging out (I found a stash of egg shells and feathers back there). He's alluding the traps. I've had to move my few remaining chickens out of the coop into a small secure kennel at night because otherwise I'm just feeding a weasel each night. I don't know what to do. Any advice from people who have dealt with this would really help. I'm devastated about how many hens I've lost (Of course my 2 roosters are just fine). What kind of trap will catch a weasel? How can I further secure what appears to be an already secure coop? (It's an add on to the shed, solid wood, insulated, with a raised wooden floor).
Thank you.

 

[Lor]

Sorry to hear of the loss of your chickens. I don't have any ideas on how to keep out a weasel. It's difficult because they can get in through a small area.

 

[RiverOtter]

I had a weasel 2 weeks ago, my dog took care of it, it was brutal.

Before that, the guy at the hardware/feed/mechanic (gotta love small towns) said to get a box and put a small hole in it. Get the biggest old-fashioned rat trap - the snap kind - and bait it with liver, and put a bit of liver by the hole of the box.

 

[McChooky]

Weasel traps are wood boxes with hinged wood lids that hold a rat trap .When the weasel smells the bait and enters a small hole on one end he gets caught in the rat trap trying to get the bait in the corner. Ideally you don't want the wood box to be much wider than the rat trap otherwise the weasel can walk beside the rat trap (like the one in this photo)

 

[McChooky]

Weasel traps are wood boxes with hinged wood lids that hold a rat trap .When the weasel smells the bait and enters a small hole on one end he gets caught in the rat trap trying to get the bait in the corner. Ideally you don't want the wood box to be much wider than the rat trap otherwise the weasel can walk beside the rat trap (like the one in this photo)

If you notice the rat trap has a landing pad thats yellow.All traps don't have these but this is the kind you need.

 

[McChooky]

Help!! I have a weasel taking out all my chickens. I woke up the other day to 9 dead chickens in the coop. The chickens looked barely touched but were dead all over the floor. I assumed a weasel and that he got in through a vent hole that wasn't covered. I covered the vent hole securely, and couldn't find any other possible holes, but the two days later woke up to two more dead chickens. I've checked everywhere for possible holes that he can be getting in, and set a live trap and some sticky traps in the back area of the coop where the chickens can't reach and he seems to be hanging out (I found a stash of egg shells and feathers back there). He's alluding the traps. I've had to move my few remaining chickens out of the coop into a small secure kennel at night because otherwise I'm just feeding a weasel each night. I don't know what to do. Any advice from people who have dealt with this would really help. I'm devastated about how many hens I've lost (Of course my 2 roosters are just fine). What kind of trap will catch a weasel? How can I further secure what appears to be an already secure coop? (It's an add on to the shed, solid wood, insulated, with a raised wooden floor).
Thank you.

If your sheds solid wood with wood floor the only way a weasel can get in is thru cracks or crevices or vents .Using a flashlight go out right after dark and put a bright light inside the coop.Now go back outside and mark every spot where a light shines thru boards on the side or the floor or the door or windows or the vents or along the roof rafters.You have to have to cover every hole bigger than 1/2" with 1/2" hardware cloth to keep a weasel out.

 

[Callender Girl]

I am so sorry for your losses. A mink, which is a weasel cousin, took out three of my four original hens Which was made all the worse because it appears minks just slaughter for fun, not to eat their prey. It returned the same night, but I managed to run it off and save my last girl by putting her in a different coop. And, as with yours, the dead hens looked barely touched -- except the one whose head was pulled through the fencing.

I truly hate to kill any living creature, but I never wanted any animal to die as much as I did that murdering mink. I failed at live trapping it and would have used any means necessary to save my birds. I had a large dog that I intentionally walked around the perimeter of the property to spread her scent everywhere, and I added 1/2 inch hardware cloth everywhere.

I hope you are able to stop the predation.

 

[bobbi-j]

I hate weasels and mink! They can be tricky because they can get through very small spaces.

 

[Murielfarms]

I am so sorry for your losses. A mink, which is a weasel cousin, took out three of my four original hens Which was made all the worse because it appears minks just slaughter for fun, not to eat their prey. It returned the same night, but I managed to run it off and save my last girl by putting her in a different coop. And, as with yours, the dead hens looked barely touched -- except the one whose head was pulled through the fencing.

I truly hate to kill any living creature, but I never wanted any animal to die as much as I did that murdering mink. I failed at live trapping it and would have used any means necessary to save my birds. I had a large dog that I intentionally walked around the perimeter of the property to spread her scent everywhere, and I added 1/2 inch hardware cloth everywhere.

I hope you are able to stop the predation.

I feel the same way. We've had to deal with predators before but this weasel just seems to be killing for fun and I want him dead. I have totally given up on the live trap. I'm headed out to look for heavy duty rat traps now.

 

[McChooky]

I feel the same way. We've had to deal with predators before but this weasel just seems to be killing for fun and I want him dead. I have totally given up on the live trap. I'm headed out to look for heavy duty rat traps now.

Weasels won't get in a regular rat trap unless its in a box.They're naturally curious and will crawl inside the hole.Soon as they step on the plate the rat trap kills them.They love fish,Its the best bait.