cabbyl ushtey Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 A polecat killed most of my hens last night. Has anyone else had any experience with these nasty little beasts? Will it wander off to someone elses hen run or will I have to try to trap it, if so how? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La_Dolce_Vita Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 It was probably just hungry. How did it get in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
- Paul - Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 Once it's 'learnt' that hen runs are a source of food and 'entertainment', it will probaby start raiding others in the area. Problem being is that it won't just kill one for food but get the 'blood lust' and slaughter the rest purely as its natural instincts kick in. If there's one in your area, other poultry owners will probably start suffering as well Sorry I can't advise on how to 'remove' the threat as I don't know what the relevant rules are if any. Certainly it will continue to be a problem till dealt with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mæŋksmən Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 It was probably just hungry. How did it get in? No shit sherlock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alibaba Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 Happened to someone I know recently too. Killed 10 or 11 birds. They set up a large joey trap, the ones that catch them alive, like a cage, stuffed it with fresh chicken fillets. Polecat went for them overnight, got stuck, so next morning it was shot with a 12 bore while still in the trap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebees Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 Thats a bit mean like. The hen owner has a duty to his pet to keep it safe, pole cats are just animals doing what nature bade them innit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 A paper looking at Polecats states "All animals from the Isle of Man, Shetland, the Western Isles, Mull and some parts of mainland Scotland were confirmed as feral ferrets." - http://www.jncc.gov.uk/page-2795-theme=default (rather slow loading - ?flash/javascript junk on page) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mæŋksmən Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 (edited) Happened to someone I know recently too. Killed 10 or 11 birds. They set up a large joey trap, the ones that catch them alive, like a cage, stuffed it with fresh chicken fillets. Polecat went for them overnight, got stuck, so next morning it was shot with a 12 bore while still in the trap. Thats the jobbie the OP needs, once in the trap, just drown it still in the trap. Edited September 14, 2010 by mæŋksmən Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grant Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 CU, if you go on manxnet and type in vermin in the search facility, it will bring up a chap called Steve, who offers vermin control for free! fully insured to boot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebees Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 is that how you got rid of the wife? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grant Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 I bloody wish, it certainly wasn't free. Far from it, bloody women! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La_Dolce_Vita Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 Although I appreciate they are vermin in being a problem to chicken owners. I think it is a bit sad really when such things are deemed worthy of killing without any bother at all. Are there not relatively cheap ways of dealing with the problem without resorting to killing them? Can you not make the chickens less tasty? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mæŋksmən Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 (edited) Although I appreciate they are vermin in being a problem to chicken owners. I think it is a bit sad really when such things are deemed worthy of killing without any bother at all. We dont have polecats or weasel etc on the island, just wild ferret, ldv have you ever tried to have a reasonable discussion with a wild ferret ?. Are there not relatively cheap ways of dealing with the problem without resorting to killing them? No, diplamitic relations has always proven friutless, so you always have to take the american option/route. Can you not make the chickens less tasty? oh aye less tasty chickens, how does that work then ?. Edited September 14, 2010 by mæŋksmən Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La_Dolce_Vita Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 Ok, I know the difference between ferrets and polecats. I know they are not some 'native' species. But it does still seem a shame to kill something so intelligent. I don't know. I used to use 'Nail Bite', surely the method could be translated to the farm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 We dont have polecats or weasel etc on the island, just wild ferret, If only there was some website where you could compare them Can you not make the chickens less tasty? oh aye less tasty chickens, how does that work then ?. Dunno, but KFC seem to manage it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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