The house cat of the rodent world. So adorable, so deadly.
My poor birds.
Why I think it’s weasels;
Enclosure is raccoon & fox proof, no obvious gaps or openings. Attacks were mostly done to the neck, some were partially eaten, some were just killed.
In one case I found a mostly eaten bird stuffed into the food bin. Something bigger wouldn’t be able to fit inside, but a rat or weasel certainly could.
I noticed the attacks were only in one enclosure, so deemed that one unsafe and moved my birds to smaller coops with tighter hardware netting.
It worked alright the first night, but the second one dug through and two more silkies were killed. They really like going for my smaller birds.
Tonight I’m going to move the coops onto the pavement (driveway, not currently in use do to snow). No more digging. Will that help? I don’t know, but I have to do something.
I’m also getting traps set up. I don’t really know how well they’ll work, but I’m going to use both my rat trap and raccoon trap. Set up in the original coop area and current site of attacks. For bait I’m not sure. I heard meat is used? Would cat food work or do I need something more enticing?
I never had an issue back when I had outdoor cats. Rip Socks & April. I’d love to get a new barn cat, but man. I don’t know how I’d be able to go about it.
I’d love to leave Pepper my terrier mix outside overnight too. She’d love to hunt a weasel if given the opportunity. But she’s not the best left unsupervised in the yard and it’s really cold. She’d be too sad.
My poor birds.
Why I think it’s weasels;
Enclosure is raccoon & fox proof, no obvious gaps or openings. Attacks were mostly done to the neck, some were partially eaten, some were just killed.
In one case I found a mostly eaten bird stuffed into the food bin. Something bigger wouldn’t be able to fit inside, but a rat or weasel certainly could.
I noticed the attacks were only in one enclosure, so deemed that one unsafe and moved my birds to smaller coops with tighter hardware netting.
It worked alright the first night, but the second one dug through and two more silkies were killed. They really like going for my smaller birds.
Tonight I’m going to move the coops onto the pavement (driveway, not currently in use do to snow). No more digging. Will that help? I don’t know, but I have to do something.
I’m also getting traps set up. I don’t really know how well they’ll work, but I’m going to use both my rat trap and raccoon trap. Set up in the original coop area and current site of attacks. For bait I’m not sure. I heard meat is used? Would cat food work or do I need something more enticing?
I never had an issue back when I had outdoor cats. Rip Socks & April. I’d love to get a new barn cat, but man. I don’t know how I’d be able to go about it.
I’d love to leave Pepper my terrier mix outside overnight too. She’d love to hunt a weasel if given the opportunity. But she’s not the best left unsupervised in the yard and it’s really cold. She’d be too sad.
