I believe I finally won out over the coons killing my chickens since Thanksgiving. I put them in their new hen house and have a trapper setting snares and live traps to catch. Saturday I put the rooster with the ladies and all went well until Sunday nite. I found a small patch of feathers just out the door- inside one dead hen with all neck feather gone. It appeared that something had tried to pull the head out a 2" x 3" inch hole at the bottom of the door ( A wrong cut by my son when built the door). I know there was no way a coon could have done- everything is locked and seal. Is there anything I can use to deter the culprit, we know there are minks and weasel around . This made a lose of 6 good layers. Any suggestion would be appreciated. Lenny

-- darlene leonhart (dleonhart@sprynet.com), December 10, 2001

Answers

do you have a dog? keep it by the coop at night. Rat traps work well for mink,, close off the cracks/holes at night,, can you lean a boatd against it at night? It will keep coming back as long as it can get food. Was the neck blood sucked out? a weasel will do that,, sometimes a mink.

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), December 11, 2001.

Darlene,

I haven't lost one animal since we got a Livestock Guardian Dog. I liked him so much I got another and together they work as a team.

-- westbrook (westbrook_farms@yahoo.com), December 11, 2001.

Darlene, minks and weasels don't usually bother to drag their prey anywhere, they mainly just drink the blood. And when they hit, they quite often clean out EVERY bird you have---they seem to go on killing frenzies. If this was a mink you were lucky that the one dead hen plugged the hole so they didn't get back inside. The only defense is to plug, plug, plug every hole there is. Weasels especially can get through very small holes.

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), December 11, 2001.

darlene, the only answer to poultry security is properly built pens and houses. As noted above many members of the weasle family(as well as spotted skunks) can go right through one X one inch openings. That's why poultry netting(chicken wire) is such a joke. Also, many predators like raccoons can just reach through and snag whatever parts of a fowl present themselves.Proper construction is the key. I use 1"X 1/2 " welded wired and tight doors on the overnight pens,and the duck house is snug and secure. I've never lost poultry to predators, ever. You can trap, shoot, poison and all those non productive things and all you are doing is killing off the critters that control mice, rats and other really dangerous creatures. LQ

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), December 11, 2001.

I totally agree with Lil Quaker, you have to use hardware cloth, not polutry netting, about any predator can make short work of chicken wire. And plug and seal up all holes with stout materials.

When we move to the country, we move into Nature' realm that includes all sorts of predators, we must fit into that scheme of things, NOT try to eliminate ALL predators just for our paltry benefit. It is our responsibility to adequately protect out stock physically from predators with stout, secure buildings as well as the proper type guard dogs ( my favorite is a large German Shepard, he repels even black bears), not try to eliminate all the predators that may come our way.

Try to fit in with Nature, not make Nature fit your ideas and plans, it is the only ethical and moral way to live.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), December 11, 2001.

Well said Annie, the only thing I would add: To those who's first response to anything(not Annies!)is to get a dog", I think that is silly advice and not for everyone. Myself, I couldn't live and be happy without a good dog but I value dogs enough to know that not everyone would be good dog owners and so I don't suggest this. Being a retired Vet Tech I've dealt with boo- boos and their mistreatment of pets all my life. Some out of ignorance (which is the worst sort as anyone can get a book)and some out of lack of caring. So, unless you are prepared to give a dog a safe evironment, proper care and use your brains to learn what they need, don't get a dog! Happy Holidays to all, LQ

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), December 11, 2001.

Darlene, ever see a farm without a dog? ever see a farm without about 5 dogs? not to mention umteen cats.

There is a reason for them.

-- LurkLu (LurkyLu@yahoo.com), December 12, 2001.