TwoAcreDream
Well-known member
During the middle of the night, the hubby hears the chickens raising a ruckus. Nothing that sounds normal. Out he goes with the gun. Comes back in and tells me one of the hens is dead. Whatever wanted her, was trying to drag it back out the hole it came in. Hole is roughly 2 by 2 inches. He goes back out several more times but nothing. So this morning, I am checking the rabbits in the chicken second room ( tarped reinforced carport ), where the hen was killed. I find a doe with paws tore up, and bleeding badly. Whatever wanted her, had came from underneath the cage. Hanging cage. 1/2 by 1 inch floor. Within the hour, I realize the doe next to her, same problem. Both does bled to death.
I had checked the bunnies in the addition on our garage and find out, I have lost a baby ( 6 wks old) due to something coming from underneath the cage. These are stackers and have plastic drop pans. Whatever is getting them, cannot get into 1 by 2 inch openings. If 2 by 2 inches, then it gets in.
Our best guess is a weasel or mink. And or maybe a rat also. Not sure. I have 2 havahart traps set. Son is going to set some of his traps for me, later today.
I left the 2 dead does in their cages and they will be bait. I got them up off the wire, so whatever wants them is going to have to come into the J feeder opening ( j feeder is pulled out ) and there sits a rat trap. All I can do, until I can rig up something better, later today.
I have used all the nesting boxes that I have to get the rabbits off the wire. I have put wooden resting boards in the balance of the cages. I have 5 does all due in about a week.
Any new cages I build in the spring are going to be 1 by1 inch sides and tops. Bottoms will be 1/2 by 1 inches. Stackers will be 3 inches apart with the drop pans beings 2 inches high. I will make a drop door on the front of the pan opening to close that area up.
Any other ideas for me ?
I edited the title. I saw the critter. About a ft long and pure black. Looks like a mink to me. Saw him sneak out from under the house. He was headed to the wood pile across the driveway where we had laid the dead chicken up on top a pile. Hopefully the hubby can get a bead on it sometime today.
Our 2 acres is a triangle lot. The long leg of the triangle is a creek.
I had checked the bunnies in the addition on our garage and find out, I have lost a baby ( 6 wks old) due to something coming from underneath the cage. These are stackers and have plastic drop pans. Whatever is getting them, cannot get into 1 by 2 inch openings. If 2 by 2 inches, then it gets in.
Our best guess is a weasel or mink. And or maybe a rat also. Not sure. I have 2 havahart traps set. Son is going to set some of his traps for me, later today.
I left the 2 dead does in their cages and they will be bait. I got them up off the wire, so whatever wants them is going to have to come into the J feeder opening ( j feeder is pulled out ) and there sits a rat trap. All I can do, until I can rig up something better, later today.
I have used all the nesting boxes that I have to get the rabbits off the wire. I have put wooden resting boards in the balance of the cages. I have 5 does all due in about a week.
Any new cages I build in the spring are going to be 1 by1 inch sides and tops. Bottoms will be 1/2 by 1 inches. Stackers will be 3 inches apart with the drop pans beings 2 inches high. I will make a drop door on the front of the pan opening to close that area up.
Any other ideas for me ?
I edited the title. I saw the critter. About a ft long and pure black. Looks like a mink to me. Saw him sneak out from under the house. He was headed to the wood pile across the driveway where we had laid the dead chicken up on top a pile. Hopefully the hubby can get a bead on it sometime today.
Our 2 acres is a triangle lot. The long leg of the triangle is a creek.