Not again.... I am so sick of frigging mink!

[Special T]

They suffer from blood lust... just like wolves I. A pen of sheep!

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[LDennis24]

How about some homemade live trap's using a piece of PVC pipe? Make the door's and the trip plate the same as a havahart live trap using high tensil wire? They could be placed over holes and look like a tunnel yet when they enter and hit the lever the doors fall shut. Seem's like any easy thing to build with some wire, a few springs, and holesaw to cut the trap door's out of something. Then again I don't know how good they are at chewing through stuff so they might get out of it?

[Birdguy]

Know what you are dealing with as a guy who raises birds that absolutely sucks. Had them here a couple times over the years. Was never lucky enough to have them get the chickens they always go for the more expensive things. First time I lost three impyean pheasants, 2 pair of tragopans, and lots of cheaper pheasants 27 total. I caught that one the next day in the pen and we danced for a bit pretty sure I won! Next time was 53 young chukars (out of the brooder 2 days, killed every one) a few more ringnecks and some quail. Never got that one but it moved on to the neighbors house a couple days later.

Good luck in your quest to prevent future issues. Sure does ruin a guys day and takes any fun/pleasure out of being a farmer for a while.

[lokidog]

That's a bummer on the Chukars Birdguy. 

This is just a reminder to keep up on the enclosure maintenance.   

[Birdguy]

That's a bummer on the Chukars Birdguy. 

This is just a reminder to keep up on the enclosure maintenance.   

So true, but you never know you have a problem until it is too late with those guys. I do not live around any water, I am not on any regular travel path for critters like that. Two mink in 10 years was expensive and more mink then I care to see again. I am working on putting up a 2' metal sight guard all the way around my ground pens, pain in the butt and not very cheap but I am hoping it will help to prevent another time even though I have really downsized my operation.

Eagles have gotten more of my chickens than anything else, the chickens all get locked up in the portion of pen with the roof as soon as the salmon runs are over in the fall  , learned that last year.

[lokidog]

We've been lucky as we have only lost three to hawks through the years and none to eagles, oops, forgot about the four silky chicks that got eaten by the sharp-shinned hawk that flew into my little portable coop vent before I screened it. We have lots of overhead cover though for when they are out free-ranging.

[Duckslayer89]

The only good mink is one that looks like this... 18 inches nose to tail tip.

That thing is huge. I thought I saw a mink this year elk hunting it must have been a baby it was only like 6 inches long plus a tail. I was thinking how many of those it must take to get a coat but I guess they are a lot bigger

[Jonathan_S]

Good job Loki!     Sorry for the loss of the hens

The only good mink is one that looks like this... 18 inches nose to tail tip.

That thing is huge. I thought I saw a mink this year elk hunting it must have been a baby it was only like 6 inches long plus a tail. I was thinking how many of those it must take to get a coat but I guess they are a lot bigger

You likely saw a weasel, a small one at that.  That mink that Loki posted looks small/average.  Large mink are the size of a half-grown rockchuck.

[lokidog]

Have to agree with Jonathon, weasel.  This is actually one of the smaller ones out here.

[Duckslayer89]

Roger. He was up at about 6000ft. There is an old trappers cabin up in the wilderness area where I saw it I heard he use to trap for mink. Maybe for weasel too?

[Jonathan_S]

Weasels are pretty much everywhere.  I have caught them in Pine Marten sets at 5500 feet and have caught them near sea level too.  They are all chicken killers.

Loki, your catch there was a double bonus with it being a female.   

[lokidog]

 

I was watching a video about mink trapping, and the guy was talking about letting females go... I'm pretty sure he didn't raise poultry.       

[Jonathan_S]

  yeah definitely not.  I've never had a mink set that wasn't a "playing for keeps" set anyway 

[wildweeds]

No trappers license needed to protect livestock on your own property. And if that's not the case someone in this state is stupid. I had homing pigeons for dog training, two mink visit s fixed that, 40 of 50 kilt the first night. The rest got it the next.

[lokidog]

You are right, for this, there is no license needed.  However, you are supposed to report the animals to WDFW and turn them over to them to be destroyed or otherwise not used by the landowner.