The Poultry Keeper

Knobby · Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2006 10:25 am Post subject:

Sounds a like a mink to me....! Was the neck chewed ??

nigel · Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2006 10:39 am Post subject:

I agree with Knobby, it does sound like the modus operandi of the mink to me.

The electric fence we use is graded with narrow gaps at the bottom getting larger further up. In the blurb that describes what it keeps out Mink are mentioned. See here. It puts out over 5,500 volts at full power. It requires little maintenance, just ensuring that the vegetation does grow too long and start to earth and cause voltage drops.

Issy · Joined: 22 Nov 2005 Posts: 371 Location: somerset

So sorry to hear of the loss of your Drakes.

Like Nigel we use electric fencing and whereas we don't (as far as we know) have mink in the area, we don't seem to get problems with stoats - that we do have a lot of.
Good luck with catching the offending animal.

mojo · Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2006 6:11 pm Post subject:

peckhams.signs of preadator ..............foxes usually leave feathers.......weasals attack throat then eat the stomach,genitals first .....otters bite off head then eat ...but yours sounds like MINK they attack throat .........set a trap baited with offal or cat food along fence edge,keep your cats in the house whilst baiting a drainpipe makes good trap holder best of luck.........put fine guage wire around the bottom of pen.........use male urine to mark wire see foxes........hope you get him.actually proberbly female with young.........luv mojo

Peckhams · Joined: 25 Sep 2005 Posts: 43 Location: Scotland

Brilliant folks - loads of useful help and advice...
Have got some electric netting on loan- will look into the ones on that link Nigel - thanks.
Mojo - thanks for that - I know there have been mink spotted in the area before Evil or Very Mad

- but a while back - probable that there are still some around - will try the traps etc etc - will let you all know if we get anything!