If you live in an area where there are minks, you may be concerned about them if you own backyard chickens. One of the things you may wonder about is if minks eat chickens?
So, do minks eat chickens? Yes, minks do eat chickens. If they can get into the chicken coop, they will attempt to kill all the chickens. Minks have a very high metabolism, which means they require food all the time. They are nocturnal creatures, so you’ll need to keep the coop secured.
Do Minks Eat Chicken Eggs?
Yes, minks will eat chicken eggs that they can find. They are quick and agile, which allows them to move around undetected.
Since minks hunt mostly at night, the eggs are most vulnerable. Chickens don’t have very good eyesight at night and are not able to detect movement.
Most of the time, the minks will go after the chickens. They are a larger meal and can fill them up much quicker than eggs will.
If you have eggs that are missing, but it doesn’t appear that the chickens are attacked, it’s most likely another predator, such as rats.
Do Mink Attack Chickens?
Minks will attack chickens when the opportunity exists. This creature is an opportunistic eater, which means they will go after chickens and anything else when it’s available to them.
Depending on your location, if there is a lot of food available and easy access to the coop, the minks will come on a daily basis.
The best thing to do is try to keep the coop secured. With their long and athletic bodies, they are able to squeeze easily through small holes.
Once they gain access to the coop, they will start to attack all the chickens that are in there.
Will A Mink Kill Chickens?
Minks will kill the chickens that they can get their hands on. Unlike most other predators that kill and drag their prey away. Minks, on the other hand, will go on a killing spree, killing every chicken they can get their hands on.
The reason why minks kill a lot of chickens and not just one is that they are not interested in the meat. Minks will usually drink the blood of the chickens, which they drink for nourishment.
How To Tell A Mink Has Killed Your Chickens?
Chicken makes a tasty meal for many predators. Each predator has its own way of killing the chickens. For that reason, you may be wondering if a mink is responsible for killing your chickens.
Minks kill the chicken in a very specific way. Below are some of the signs to look for that a mink is responsible:
- Mink will kill as many chickens as they can. Then they’ll either eat the chicken on the spot or drag one away.
- Mink have paws that are small.
- The chickens have bite marks behind their necks.
- The head of the chicken will either be partially or fully removed, while the body is still intact.
How To Keep Minks Away From Chickens
Minks are quick and agile creatures. Simply securing the chicken coop will not be enough to keep the minks away. There is a lot of planning and preparation to ensure your chickens are safe from them.
Below are some of the ways to keep minks away:
Clean up Leftover Food
Chickens are messy eaters and tend to displace food all over the place. After they are done eating, clean up the area of any food.
Minks are opportunistic eaters and will eat both vegetables and meat. So anything that the chicken eats, the minks will as well.
Remove Hiding Spots
Minks are great at hiding. They will usually come out at night to hunt, but will hunt during the day as well if an opportunity exists.
Minks will hide as close to the food source as they can. For that reason, trim back or remove any bushes close to the chicken coop.
Also, if there are piles of woods, it should all be removed as it makes great hiding spots for minks.
Secure The Chicken Coop and Run
Minks often hunt at night, so it’s important to secure both the coop and run. If you have free-range chickens, it’s a good idea to keep them locked up in the coop at night.
Secure the coop by making sure there are no holes the minks can get through. If the chicken wire is damaged, make sure it’s fixed. Minks are able to push themselves through the wires easily.
Not just the sides of the coop and run that needs to be secured, the top and underground as well. Minks are great climbers and diggers.
At the top of the coop, secure the roof to ensure there are no entry points. You can place chicken wire for an added protection to keep the minks out.
As for the ground, ensure that they cannot tunnel themselves under it. This means adding additional fencing or placing the fence deeper into the ground by about 20 inches.
Use Repellents
The last method you can try to ward off minks is to use repellents. There are two of them that works great, which includes:
- Electric Fence
- Motion-activated sprinklers
The electric fence has different voltage settings that you can set. You can set the voltage to where it will give enough shock to scare the mink away.
As for the motion-activated sprinklers, they will work at stopping the minks in their track. Once they go within range of the motion sensor, it will trigger the sprinklers to turn on and spray the minks.
Conclusion
Minks do kill and eat chickens. They will usually go for the blood, which they tend to kill a lot of chickens doing so.
If the minks start to become a problem, there are humane ways to get rid of them. One thing to be aware of is that many states prohibit trapping minks.
