Mink attack?

Nekarsulm

Found this in the field this morning. I presume either a mink or a Pine martin?
Bastard, was a fine single lamb, flying round last night.:mad:

Bullocks

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Found this in the field this morning. I presume either a mink or a Pine martin?
Bastard, was a fine single lamb, flying round last night.:mad:

Looks pretty likely alright , that's a pity especially a single . Will you be able to get something else sucking the ewe or what will you do with her ?
Have you any mink traps to put out or anyone that will trap them for you ?

kupus

would a pine martin be able to do that? surely its a mink?

1crosseye

minks used to be easy got with 2ft of sewer pipe buried upright in the ground with a smelly fish in the bottom, they would sniff it out fairly quickly go in head first and couldn't get out as its to slippy

Birdnuts

I have mink traps down the whole time on my place in the West as my in-laws keep hens. Mink have been known to attack small weak lambs but if the lamb was healthy,lively and flying around last night I would suspect something bigger like a fox or even a small dog. Now usually Mr fox will bring the lamb with him but what can happen(and may have happened here) is that the Ewe drove away the fox but was sadly too late to prevent fatal injuries. In any case get some traps out and see what turns up. Also a nights lamping may give an idea about how many foxes are knockin about

Nekarsulm

Birdnuts wrote: »

I have mink traps down the whole time on my place in the West as my in-laws keep hens. Mink have been known to attack small weak lambs but if the lamb was healthy,lively and flying around last night I would suspect something bigger like a fox or even a small dog. Now usually Mr fox will bring the lamb with him but what can happen(and may have happened here) is that the Ewe drove away the fox but was sadly too late to prevent fatal injuries. In any case get some traps out and see what turns up. Also a nights lamping may give an idea about how many foxes are knockin about

Have a trap organised for tomorrow. Ground all churned up in a circle around the lamb so your probably right about them driving off the fox/ mink. One of them mornings, an older ewe with a chill and another on her back in a slight depression. Rain almost two inches deep around her. So both of them in the sick bay also.

supersean1999

kupus wrote: »

would a pine martin be able to do that? surely its a mink?

Pine martins are just as big, and there vicious

Connemara Farmer

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Have a trap organised for tomorrow. Ground all churned up in a circle around the lamb so your probably right about them driving off the fox/ mink. One of them mornings, an older ewe with a chill and another on her back in a slight depression. Rain almost two inches deep around her. So both of them in the sick bay also.

If it's mink, I presume it's a cage trap you're getting. Make it look like a tunnel by wrapping a black bin bag around it. I found sardines in sunflower oil a great bait for them. A bit of wool or feathers near the trap entrance is good too as a visual attractant.

tabby aspreme

Had a fair bit of trouble from mink over the years, strong lambs up to three weeks old attacked, each time the lambs were bitten on the neck about an inch behind the right ear , there was always two pinhole teeth marks about 8mm apart, the lambs would get an infection and there neck would be bigger than there head but generally when treated they would be ok, a few I found dead and ripped open and at first would blame a Fox but on closer examination the teeth marks were on the neck and they were probably weakened by the mink before the Fox took them

MayoAreMagic

tabby aspreme wrote: »

Had a fair bit of trouble from mink over the years, strong lambs up to three weeks old attacked, each time the lambs were bitten on the neck about an inch behind the right ear , there was always two pinhole teeth marks about 8mm apart, the lambs would get an infection and there neck would be bigger than there head but generally when treated they would be ok, a few I found dead and ripped open and at first would blame a Fox but on closer examination the teeth marks were on the neck and they were probably weakened by the mink before the Fox took them

So they are teaming up now! I wonder does Stockholm tar work on the mink too?

Birdnuts

MayoAreMagic wrote: »

So they are teaming up now! I wonder does Stockholm tar work on the mink too?

Can't see why not. By all accounts foxes will actively avoid lambs with Stockholm tar applied around the neck as it overwhelms their sensitive sense of smell. Mink have very sensitive noses too so should work equally well.