You may want to try and locate people in your area that raise and hunt with mink as a hobby. One morning's work with a pair of mink in your hen house, will solve your problem...at least for a while. Lovely photos, btw. Your eggplant looks yummy.
On the wildlife-reestablishing-themselves-in-their-former-range front, a pair of sea otters has reestablish themselves on the northern Oregon coast, for the first time in 120 years. While our controllers screech at us for eliminating species with human overpopulation, all across the United States I find wonderful stories of wildlife recolonizing former habitat ON THEIR OWN. I've come up with two reasons why this good news is not being celebrated. #1 It seems to take about 50-100 years after strict hunting/trapping laws, for natural rebound in species population. I don't think think those in charge of our wildlife management ever in their wildest dreams, realized how quickly wildlife could rebound with proper hunting/trapping protection. They can't admit they got it wrong. #2 Admitting the return of a population listed as exterperated, means an expensive, and perhaps controversial management plan. Hence , we hear from our state government bureaus: "these are lone individuals just passing through". They are not fooling those if us interested in this subject.
I didn't know there were people that hunted with minks, but I think that would take care of the problem. We've actually seen wild minks here on the property in the past (not lately) but apparently their population isn't high enough that they need to come close to the house and barn to hunt. If they did they would find a smorgasbord. I think people kill them because minks can kill chickens, but if they ate the rats and voles it would be worth that risk.
There are some wild videos online of buildings being cleaned of rats by trained mink. Usually they also bring dogs, and it's the dogs that do most of the killing. The mink mostly flush out the rats. Yes, mink will kill poultry. There was a very tragic episode in my childhood, when a mink got into my duck house. It's a sight no child should see.
At the risk of being annoying, I'm gonna say rats get a bad rap. Doing some quick research I'm reading that rats are "synanthropic" which means for many thousands of years they've enjoyed hanging out where the humans are. This helps explain some of their very human-like characteristics. In the city, it's discarded human food that attracts them since there are very few chicken coops. I'm struck by the fact that virtually everybody hates them usually with no just cause except "they spread plague." (Recently scientists have concluded that the black death was airborne and rats were just the fall guys.) I see them scurrying along our back fence sometimes but they never come into our house which the mice occasionally do, and personally I figure live and let live. I see them as interesting creatures and I do my best to coexist. By the way, what is that cute little dog-faced animal just above the egg plants in your photo? Am I the only one who sees him?
That cute critter is a daubergine. Yes, you're the only one who can see it. I can't see it, but I'm assuming it's a daubergine because they have a mutualistic relationship with eggplants. The rats ate my baby chicks, and lots of very expensive chicken feed. Plus they poop everywhere. I admire their tenacity and intelligence, but they must go.
You may want to try and locate people in your area that raise and hunt with mink as a hobby. One morning's work with a pair of mink in your hen house, will solve your problem...at least for a while. Lovely photos, btw. Your eggplant looks yummy.
On the wildlife-reestablishing-themselves-in-their-former-range front, a pair of sea otters has reestablish themselves on the northern Oregon coast, for the first time in 120 years. While our controllers screech at us for eliminating species with human overpopulation, all across the United States I find wonderful stories of wildlife recolonizing former habitat ON THEIR OWN. I've come up with two reasons why this good news is not being celebrated. #1 It seems to take about 50-100 years after strict hunting/trapping laws, for natural rebound in species population. I don't think think those in charge of our wildlife management ever in their wildest dreams, realized how quickly wildlife could rebound with proper hunting/trapping protection. They can't admit they got it wrong. #2 Admitting the return of a population listed as exterperated, means an expensive, and perhaps controversial management plan. Hence , we hear from our state government bureaus: "these are lone individuals just passing through". They are not fooling those if us interested in this subject.
I didn't know there were people that hunted with minks, but I think that would take care of the problem. We've actually seen wild minks here on the property in the past (not lately) but apparently their population isn't high enough that they need to come close to the house and barn to hunt. If they did they would find a smorgasbord. I think people kill them because minks can kill chickens, but if they ate the rats and voles it would be worth that risk.
There are some wild videos online of buildings being cleaned of rats by trained mink. Usually they also bring dogs, and it's the dogs that do most of the killing. The mink mostly flush out the rats. Yes, mink will kill poultry. There was a very tragic episode in my childhood, when a mink got into my duck house. It's a sight no child should see.
At the risk of being annoying, I'm gonna say rats get a bad rap. Doing some quick research I'm reading that rats are "synanthropic" which means for many thousands of years they've enjoyed hanging out where the humans are. This helps explain some of their very human-like characteristics. In the city, it's discarded human food that attracts them since there are very few chicken coops. I'm struck by the fact that virtually everybody hates them usually with no just cause except "they spread plague." (Recently scientists have concluded that the black death was airborne and rats were just the fall guys.) I see them scurrying along our back fence sometimes but they never come into our house which the mice occasionally do, and personally I figure live and let live. I see them as interesting creatures and I do my best to coexist. By the way, what is that cute little dog-faced animal just above the egg plants in your photo? Am I the only one who sees him?
That cute critter is a daubergine. Yes, you're the only one who can see it. I can't see it, but I'm assuming it's a daubergine because they have a mutualistic relationship with eggplants. The rats ate my baby chicks, and lots of very expensive chicken feed. Plus they poop everywhere. I admire their tenacity and intelligence, but they must go.