[purplebat]

I bought 5 new POL girls last sunday; 3 goldline, 1 white star and 1 redco to join my goldlines and Marans, On Thursday we found one of the new goldlines well, what was left of her anyway! It was horrific, if it wasn't for the feather carcass and the legs you wouldn't have known it was a chicken, 3 of the other girls had managed to escape the run altogether obviously out of panic. One of the other lotty holders said they had seen a buck stoat in the run but I can't figure out how it's got in and I don't know how to get rid. I don't want to use a fenn trap for a coupkle of reasons, one I'm a soft mare and I couldn't bear the thought of it not being killed outright, I've thought of a live trap but I don't know if I could kill it if I caught it, and if I took it somewhere how far would I have to go to make sure it didn't come back, and if there's one does that mean there will be more? Sorry to go on, but I'm heartbroken about my chicken, she hadn't even had a chance to lay an egg! I couldn't bear to lose any more 

[SMD66]

I would get a live trap and release it miles away, have a drive out !  If it can't climb over I would suspect it dug under look for holes and make sure the hen house is secure as it's likely to come back.

[purplebat]

the entry is what's really bugging me; the sides of the run are between 5 and 6 feet tall and the wire is buried over a foot down! surely it can't climb over that?!

[SMD66]

I don't know if they can climb that high, still, a trap is essential, maybe bait it with some of the carcass?  Could it have gotten through the wire?.  Are the hens in a house at night?  Did it get into the house?

[dizzylizzie]

hi, i found this on a water ways article....sorry i dont know how to do a link. it looks like they can get just about anywhere tho, and if they can climb tree's , the mesh of a chicken run would be a piece of cake. hope this helps, and im sorry about your hen x

 Stoats are suprisingly multi-talented, they can run, swim, climb trees and even (some say) dance.

Long and thin with very long tails, stoats are one of the few species able to follow burrowing mammals into their homes. They are also skilfull tree climbers and strong swimmers. Add to the mix that stoats are capable of killing animals much larger than themselves, and you have a fearsome predator on your hands.

Stoats are largely nocturnal, but can sometimes be spotted during daylight hours. They make their dens in hollow trees, burrows or dry stone walls. Look out for them along waterways flowing near moorland, woods and mountains.

In winter, it is not unusual for the stoat’s fur to turn completely white. At this time they are called ‘ermine’

[purplebat]

Thanks for that; having read that it looks like there's no keeping them out; so it looks like a trap and a long drive (or a trap and then a friend with an air rifle!) I am a serious animal lover, I even find it hard to kill the bugs that are eating my veg, but trust me, that stoat is on my hit list!!!

[dizzylizzie]

just a question... how big are the openings in the mesh? is it possibal to maybe replace it for mesh with a smaller hole. im not sure if stoats are like mice and rats, but the bones in their head can kind of sqwish together so they can fit through very small holes.take care x

[Sassy]

just a question... how big are the openings in the mesh? is it possibal to maybe replace it for mesh with a smaller hole. im not sure if stoats are like mice and rats, but the bones in their head can kind of sqwish together so they can fit through very small holes.take care x

Or not replace it but overlap but overlap it to make it stronger and the holes smaller. Just a thought.

So sorry about your chook

[8doubles]

Stoats are good climbers , i`ve seen them 15ft up a tree playing (or courting) in the thin branches. They then ran down the tree and chased each other into the river for a quick swim.

[Flowerpower136]

So sorry.
Wouldn't hestiate, I'd have the place surrounded with Fenn traps.  Just about to order mine together with DFT boxes to have a hope of feeding the girls and not the rats.  I heard the other week that we also have wild mink in the area ......

[purplebat]

the holes in the mesh are about 4 cm I think, but that is a good idea to overlap the mesh I haven't got the energy to dismantle the run and replace it with smaller gauge mesh, (it's about 30foot square), but I could overlap it to make the holes smaller, thanks for the idea, no sign of it yet but when it does return....
by the way, my girl has been disposed of, so I can't use the carcass; what would be the best thing to bait the trap with?

[andreadon]

4 cm is very large for holes- try and get some 1"by1/2" mesh at the largest (pref 1/2" by 1/2" weldmesh)
and it would be worth using the same stuff to make a mesh roof on your run.

[purplebat]

we've had some camo netting donated that we were going to cover the run with, would that help? I don't think we could afford the weldmesh it's so expensive, and I've been off work for months after a major operation so money is a bit tight, but hopefully I'll be back at work soon so maybe I could make do for now and plan that for the future

[Hopton Mitch]

A stoat will go through cammo netting no bother.

[Flowerpower136]

Re expensive weldmesh - Hills of Devon were the cheapest I could find, and were very quick delivery.