I am still trying to capture the murdering bastard who has caught and eaten seven of my chickens. Yesterday there was no mink in the trap but the cat food was gone. So last night John set the trap just to be sure. He has a very precise nature when it comes to these things. I will check it after the morning milking. 
I spent a decent portion of yesterday repairing the back wall of the chicken coop which is in the Rat House with my bits of wood, pieces of metal, flattened beer cans and old rusty baking trays using my mini sledge hammer and an old coffee tin full of rusty nails. I found many little holes big enough for a mink and now they are all closed.
But the Rat House is a colander – too many holes.. so as soon as possible I will begin to finish their gypsy caravan and shift them out of the chook house all together. The plan is to clean and insulate the chook house and turn it into the delivery suite and nursery for the kunekunes that I will begin to breed next spring.
Although it does not look like I am winning yet, it feels like I am making advances. Though the little chook who was being drug away by the mink, as I was trying to get through the door, is not very happy. She would not get on the roost last night and was settled on the floor of the coop. If the mink did get in she would be first, and I could not bear for her to go through that again so she is in the dog crate on the verandah. She is still in terrible shock and may not survive. But chickens are tough.
Spring is definitely beginning to come out from behind winters cloud. The relief is palpable. Though why you would want to palpate relief I do not know. Best left alone I think. Just enjoy it.
This cheerful little box is a wildlife camera. It is motion activated. Lent to me by a friend, I have put it in the chicken coop, if The Mink does get in, we will be able to see where he comes from. Though I really really hope he does not get back in. It is too awful. Maybe the flash will scare him off?
So I will check that later too and see what we come up with. Hopefully nothing. All I want to see is sleeping chooks.
We had quiet night, no incidents, nothing got in, all was well in the chook house when I checked at 4am. Even the little brown hen on the verandah is still alive, much to her surprise. Fingers crossed.
Queenie and baby. 
Good morning. Daisy milked clean almost all day yesterday. I am still milking three times a day. But there seems to be some residual mastitis holding on. Her oregano oil arrived, so today I will begin to treat her with that. It is to be diluted with olive oil and inserted into the teat after each milking which is easier than it sounds. Oregano is a natural antibiotic so let us see how that goes.
I hope you all have a lovely day
Your friend on the farm
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
54 responses to “Onwards and Upwards”
I hope you’ve thwarted the little bastard, be it mink or weasel, Celi. It’s such a shame to wake up to that every morning. That camera is a good idea. You may have better luck once you know the critter you’re dealing with. We’re supposed to have a couple of beautiful days ahead. I hope you can spare some time to relax and enjoy them. Have a good night.
I had some relaxing time today with kristy and Mr N and miss A.. it was glorious! c
Perfect!
Nature is cruel…poor defenseless chooks!
I remember varmints getting into our chickens when I was growing up. My dad used to say that once they get a taste for chicken, they never give up and will work to find their way in no matter what. Did you find a smaller trap? Dad would set up 3 or 4 around the coop. One wasn’t enough.
We had a large container that we used to fill with chook food prior to discovering that mice and rats LOVE places that no-one can reach especially when they are filled with chook food. It was inside the chook coop until I found one of my girls down the back of it apparently dead. She was the prettiest of our Wyandottes (silver Wyandotte) and as I hauled her lifeless carcass out I noticed that she was still alive! She must have been down the back of this “thing” for 3 – 4 days and was definitely on her last legs. Over the next 3 – 4 days it was touch and go whether we would have to euthanise the poor thing as she couldn’t walk. After 7 days (we were too sooky to euthanise her…luckily as it turns out) she got up and walked off, right as rain and she has now re-joined the flock. Chooks are, as you say, extremely resilient!
Love the photo of your dog nose to nose with a calf. Our big black Bezial does that with horses and cows :).
Glad to hear the hen is recovering. Thanks for looking out for her. Queenie’s bobby is a handsome fella, and growing up fast.
Hoping you catch the Mink!