JS1 Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 We moved house recently and this morning I saw a stoat in the garden. Obviously it sent me into a tail-spin and I got the chickens into their (Cube) run. Normally they free-range within an electric fence but I don't think this will be enough to protect them. We do have the space for a large walk-in run so that is an option (although not my preferred one - I like them to free-range). My questions are: Is the mesh in the Cube run small enough to keep the blighter out? Am I panicking unnecessarily? (I am a bit of a catastrophiser) What have other people done in similar situations?? We are in a very rural area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggasperated Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 I've always assumed an electric fence would keep stoats and similar out, I shall be interested to hear what other people think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JS1 Posted July 13, 2013 Author Share Posted July 13, 2013 We've bitten the bullet and ordered the components for a walk-in run with half-inch weld mesh. We've also been round the electric fence pegging down every slightly raised bit and are only letting them out of the cube run if we're close by. Fortunately with this hot weather they're happy to huddle under the cube whether the run is open or closed. Would still appreciate any insights from anyone with stoat experience (now that's a sentence I never thought I'd write!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flowerpot Posted July 14, 2013 Share Posted July 14, 2013 I had this conversation with Omlet and we agreed that the WIR mesh would not keep stoats out so I bought a run with a finer mesh. The Eglu itself is fine but the runs were a different matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 Hi, Really sorry to hear you have had a stoat visit you. Horrible things. Cant add to what others have said, just adding my sympathies. We had a mink visit - scary. Thankfully I saw it, scared it and as far as I know it hasnt been back. Good luck . Ax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coco Posted July 16, 2013 Share Posted July 16, 2013 A friend of mine had some of her hens killed by a stoat/mink. She had a WIR with weldmesh but it still managed to dig underneath. She eventually got her husband to concrete the whole of the base of the run. Also not very nice but they found the stoat/minks hole and poured petrol down it before setting light to it. Drastic but it worked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
