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What's been nabbing my chooks

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What's been nabbing my chooks

Postby Andyp » 09 Dec 2019, 09:31

4 weeks ago we lost 3 hens. Well technically speaking we only lost one the other two were found dead with bite marks to the neck.

I was pretty sure this was not the work of a fox, the sides of the run are two tall. Could only have been a weasel or stoat. I am not sure that these photos show conclusively which.

I set up a trail cam and last night I caught the bugger.

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and possibly here on the ramp leading to the now closed every night coop door

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I'd love to get some better photos but not sure how.
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Re: What's been nabbing my chooks

Postby RogerS » 09 Dec 2019, 10:09

I think it's too big to be a stoat or a weasel. Polecat ? Pine Marten ?
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Re: What's been nabbing my chooks

Postby Woodster » 09 Dec 2019, 10:49

I’m no expert but as said that looks too big to be a stoat.
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Re: What's been nabbing my chooks

Postby Malc2098 » 09 Dec 2019, 11:09

My first thought was pine marten.
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Re: What's been nabbing my chooks

Postby Andyp » 09 Dec 2019, 13:00

I think you right by using the holes in the fence as a guide it is about 45 cm from nose to back legs.

Could also be a Stone Martin. A little more common in these parts by all accounts but impossible to tell from those photos.
I am not quite sure if these two species are classified as pests or not around here.
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Re: What's been nabbing my chooks

Postby DaveL » 09 Dec 2019, 14:19

Andyp wrote:I am not quite sure if these two species are classified as pests or not around here.


I think for you they are definitely on the vermin list.
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Re: What's been nabbing my chooks

Postby RogerS » 09 Dec 2019, 14:28

DaveL wrote:
Andyp wrote:I am not quite sure if these two species are classified as pests or not around here.


I think for you they are definitely on the vermin list.


I could bring my rifles 8-)
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Re: What's been nabbing my chooks

Postby Andyp » 09 Dec 2019, 14:56

I am actually quite excited to see it and would like to get a better photo or two. I have to keep the chooks safe as well, which is easy to do at night less so during the day when they often have free reign in the garden.
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Re: What's been nabbing my chooks

Postby Doug » 09 Dec 2019, 19:07

Just showed a mate your photos & he wondered if it could be a Mink? Apparently he’s lost birds to them before.
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Re: What's been nabbing my chooks

Postby Andyp » 09 Dec 2019, 19:42

Doug from the images I can see on google the mink does not have the white throat clearly visible in the first pic.
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Re: What's been nabbing my chooks

Postby Gill » 09 Dec 2019, 21:00

I suggest you photograph it by using a DSLR with a telephoto lens to crop the image tightly. I should imagine you'd need a lens with about a 200mm focal length but a zoom from 135-300mm should cover most contingencies. If you don't fancy staying up all night, point the camera in the general direction and set it on time lapse (would 10 seconds be a reasonable interval?). Alternately, use a remote control to trigger the camera but make sure you are concealed and downwind. I also suggest you set the camera to 'continuous' mode. Set as high an ISO as your camera will allow without running into a 'grainy' effect. You'll also want a fairly fast shutter speed because those critters are so quick. Open up the aperture of your camera so that as much of the area where you expect the animal to appear will be in focus. F5.6 or thereabouts is a good starting point but see if you can get away with a wider aperture.

Finally, make sure your camera flash is disabled!

I suggest you set your camera up in daylight so you can use the auto-focus feature on your lens to make sure everything is focussed. Then switch to manual focus to avoid any mishaps! As the daylight fades, take test shots to check your exposure settings. If you need to make adjustments, I suggest you keep your aperture fixed to avoid losing focus. Bump your ISO up rather than reduce your shutter speed too low. Even 1/500 second might be too slow but I think I'd be prepared to risk 1/125 second.

Hope this helps.
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Re: What's been nabbing my chooks

Postby Andyp » 10 Dec 2019, 09:04

Thanks Gill, sadly I do not have a DSLR. The images above were takebn with a night visison trial camera whose daytime photos are very clear. The marten hunts, I think, between dusk and dawn so I am unlikley to get a daylight photo.

I will investigate getting a live animal trap and then releasing it elsewhere. This is just giving the problem to someone else of course but I am not keen on killing it.
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Re: What's been nabbing my chooks

Postby RogerS » 10 Dec 2019, 09:10

Can you not reinforce the coop with mesh ?
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Re: What's been nabbing my chooks

Postby Andyp » 10 Dec 2019, 10:04

The chooks have a secure box for sleeping in which opens into a small covered run (5m x 1.5m x 1.5m) made of 1/2 mesh. If I make sure there are no holes where the mesh frames hit the floor then this run should be vermin proof. This small run opens into a large 5m x 3m uncovered run which you can see in the images. I am not keen in using a fine mesh and covering this larger run.

With better management and discipline in our part in terms of whether and when we let the chooks roam (in small run or large run or whole garden) I could probably have prevented the carnage of a few weeks ago.

Now the marten knows there is food there I am concerned that it will return before dusk or after dawn when the chooks are free ranging.

Both our neighbours opposite keep hens and one breeds ducks for release as well I will speak to them about how best to deal with the marten. I can confirm that they are considered as vermin.
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Re: What's been nabbing my chooks

Postby MY63 » 10 Dec 2019, 11:22

Pine martins are nocturnal, would some outdoor lighting to cover the period between dusk and when your chickens are safely in their coop.
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