Weasel - how long do I have?

[McChooky]

Well, I'd say "rid of" in quotations because I'm sure with how many there were, they're still about somewhere - just not able to access the run. It's been a lot of work. We live in an area surrounded by both farm, nature, city, and (currently) active demo and construction so they have a lot of choices for where to move on, but for now anyway they seem to be a significantly smaller issue. I still don't feel super secure because I feel like weasels will find a way in no matter what you do if they're determined enough - so I really will feel a lot better if I can trap it or find its corpse somewhere. I actually saw a barred owl the other night perched over the coop area (after the chickens were in bed and locked up), so I'm hoping it will just keep watch overnight.

I love my chickens and I do love keeping them most of the time - but this whole ordeal has made me really doubt that I'd replace this flock if we lost them (although our set up is pretty outrageous and expensive and definitely not portable so I'm not sure what we'd even do with it if that was ever the case). I'm much too high strung to handle this, I feel like I haven't untensed my shoulders in ages.

Unless you live near water and have a rodent problem it will likely move along.They have to hunt to eat and sustain their energy levels or they get too weak to hunt. Fortunately many of the same predators that eat chickens eat weasels

 

[MeatyCluckers]

Unless you live near water and have a rodent problem it will likely move along.They have to hunt to eat and sustain their energy levels or they get too weak to hunt. Fortunately many of the same predators that eat chickens eat weasels

I am hopeful that the bountiful predators will get lucky (or already has), I just wish they'd leave me a piece so I know it's all set.

 

[McChooky]

I am hopeful that the bountiful predators will get lucky (or already has), I just wish they'd leave me a piece so I know it's all set.

Possums,owls keep my rats and snakes under control so I don't trap or kill them(rats or snakes)My chickens are locked up most of the time anyway in an L shaped run with multiple poop boards , feeders and waterers and several roosting areas(and hiding place)They free range 4 hrs day

 

[McChooky]

I am hopeful that the bountiful predators will get lucky (or already has), I just wish they'd leave me a piece so I know it's all set.

They have a large territory (cover 10-30 acres) Do you have a pond or lake close to you?

 

[MeatyCluckers]

They have a large territory (cover 10-30 acres) Do you have a pond or lake close to you?

No, but there is a river. It's a fast current, but it's there. There are occasionally brooks that develop about a half a mile away as the result but it's been so dry this summer here that there's no water in them.

 

[McChooky]

No, but there is a river. It's a fast current, but it's there. There are occasionally brooks that develop about a half a mile away as the result but it's been so dry this summer here that there's no water in them.

They're excellent swimmers and love water .If you're lucky it'll spend most of its time there. They eat anything that walks or crawls on 4 legs or flies.

 

[Goosehill]

They're excellent swimmers and love water .If you're lucky it'll spend most of its time there. They eat anything that walks or crawls on 4 legs or flies.

Stoats and ferrets are incredibly smart and learn that certain things mean danger- being trapped and chased has obviously made an impression, and the ones I’ve dealt with are very wary of people.That said, they are very unpleasant if cornered, will attack and don’t give up so be aware.
I’ve found them very difficult to trap but have had most success with an egg as bait, some use freeze dried rats or rabbit but patience is the key thing IME.

 

[McChooky]

I spent more time on my apron than building the coop and run.It was worth it