Pine Martins are bigger, but there not as widespread as mink. Pine Martins have a 'bib' on their front.. Is there a forest near you Pat? If ther is it could of been a pine martin. If you google images both of them youll get some good pics. You'll see the bib im on about on the pine martins.
Thanks again Dusty, I'll strive to keep Either or Both out from the hens, I've learned a hard lesson, my hen house is in the corner of field the with the ditch on two sides, and trees overhanging, its very hard to protect, come the new year I hope to make a new one out in the open where I can get all around it and put an electric fence round it. I will put small weld mesh on the openings instead of chicken wire. Anyway,the things we do for Chickens! rgds P Fitz.
Pine martins are protected though is the only thing. Is there a big forest around you?? You could check some nature websites to see is there pine martins in your area.
Sorry Dusty, I didnt mean to sound abrupt, The last thing I want to do is to have to hurt any animal, I double checked to make sure it was a mink, I felt it is important to know what I was dealing with, in order to know how to deal with it. The whole process of having to set out mink cages is very distressing to me, I have already managed to trap the family terrier, hes grand, and a bit wiser, thankfully I dont have a forest near me, if I do accidently catch a pine marten Ill release him safetly far away from my henhouse, as I said the whole process is disturbing, I couldnt bring myself to kill the mink I trapped, I had to make other arrangements for him too, Im concentrating now on protecting the hens safetly at night especially, I have great plans for the new hen hotel, and they can get on with laying eggs any being hens, and I can sleep in peace. rgds, P Fitz.
Not at all P, prevention is always better than cure. Didnt think you were sounding abrupt at all be careful though, its hard to mink proof a run 100%. They're great climbers too
Just back from setting a fen trap. My friends pigeon loft got raided last night. Mink kill half of them last night and left them in a pile in one nest box. Hate to see it. Hopefully get him tonight
Let us know how you get on John. Was on another forum and they were on about the re-introduction of boars and wolves This person comes on and says, "sure all the talk of mink and how dangerous they are, and iv yet to hear of one attack a human". You dont know weather to laugh or cry at that statement
Took 2 more last night. Have to go get more traps later. What sort of a statement was that. Some people are so ignorant about country life. They haven't a clue about the damage they do to wild birds and fish stocks here were the alien species have no natural predator to keep there numbers under control. These foreign species have no place near and should be eradicated for our country. It just makes me so angry. Whats next Should we go get something else lets say a crocodile and release it in lets say the liffey??? They might as well, Wolves and wild boar Have these people no common sense at all....
I questioned her on that John. Her reply? Their natural predators are otters But sure most of these people think think the countryside is like the animals of farthing wood, with foxes, rabbits and birds all sitting under a tree holding hands
Otter Otters haven't seen one of them in About ten years. But mink i seen last week. Anyway got the little feckers last night. Went down this morning to find half his ornamental pheastants dead and 3 yes 3 wild feral cats in the pen. Was like a war zone down there feathers and bodies everwhere
Feral cats are another bad one. Just started to come around here due to a middle aged woman up the road who dosnt nueter her cats. A few foxes about, this weather is driving them out early
Make that 4. Another one last night. Seen a big dog fox last week at half 2 crossing the middle of a field. Just found out this morning my other friend got raided last week as well. May go out lamping soon.
Was sitting up late last night. You could hear the vixens calling. Pairing up i think. Keeping an eye out myself, read of a fella who got a fox at half 3 the other day behind his hen house. He was lucky.
Hello John, I'm sorry to hear about the mink problem, I had the experience recently, it is not pleasent. I dont know what to suggest to help, I caught the mink, in an old "weathered" trap, I had left it where the mink had finished off on the previous visit, I Think he came back in the same way. Good luck. Pat @ Frank Fitzgerald.
Comments
Pine Martins have a 'bib' on their front.. Is there a forest near you Pat? If ther is it could of been a pine martin. If you google images both of them youll get some good pics. You'll see the bib im on about on the pine martins.
rgds P Fitz.
You could check some nature websites to see is there pine martins in your area.
pf
rgds, P Fitz.
be careful though, its hard to mink proof a run 100%. They're great climbers too
Was on another forum and they were on about the re-introduction of boars and wolves
This person comes on and says, "sure all the talk of mink and how dangerous they are, and iv yet to hear of one attack a human".
You dont know weather to laugh or cry at that statement
But sure most of these people think think the countryside is like the animals of farthing wood, with foxes, rabbits and birds all sitting under a tree holding hands
A few foxes about, this weather is driving them out early
I'm sorry to hear about the mink problem, I had the experience recently, it is not pleasent.
I dont know what to suggest to help, I caught the mink, in an old "weathered" trap, I had left it where the mink had finished off on the previous visit, I Think he came back in the same way.
Good luck.
Pat @ Frank Fitzgerald.