So for the last several months I've been working on a project to start my very own line of working mink! As far as I know, this is the first time anyone has ever attempted to breed a line of mink for anything other than fur. I decided that since I was going to do this project, I might as well start out with the highest quality mink I could possibly find. I tested just under 700 doe mink at the fur farm near my house for prey drive and confidence with humans. I didn't necessarily select for "tameness", just high drive, and a lack of fear. I then took the most driven and confident 20 home, and tested them further. I did some basic training, took them hunting, and carefully watched how they reacted to real prey that could actually bite back. I then filtered out the least desirable individuals until I got down to 3 very exceptional doe mink. I went through the same process with buck mink and then bred the 3 exceptional bucks to the 3 exceptional doe mink. I now have two hopefully pregnant females and one litter on the ground. Just my luck the doe who first gave birth was my favorite female who was bred to my favorite male! Here's the video showing what we got!

https://youtu.be/J3fsVegZjsk

Wow April 19 is early. When did they mate?

I work for a mink farm, April 19 is normal, start breeding March 1 generally.
He has many mink he has used for hunting, they arent that hard to train
Some just never will learn or calm but most are very trainable

Are they put under lights?

Yes, he lights for 2 hours extra a day when he is about 80% fully bred so start lighting around March 17-22 in that range. Some light for 2 weeks only he lights till April 18-21 whenever litters start in

Back when I raised mink (before lighting sheds, or very few) we started mating around March 3 for darks and 5 th for mutations. Litters started trickling in the end of April but the first week in May was big. Don’t think we every had young before the 25th. I was surprised by that early litter with so few mink. Perhaps we were a little off back then?

Ok,yes the lighting really helps implant them and sync them, most litters come in April 24-May 1, only get a few litters aftet May 5,

Nimzy when did you raise mink?

I did my first breedings on March 1st and 2nd, the repeat breedings on march 11th and 12th. I then turned the lights on them the 16th for 2 hours after sunset, and continued lighting them until April 12th. I just had my second litter today, so 1st litter born on the 19th and second on the 20th. My third female looks like she's getting ready too, so I'm expecting my third litter soon.

I raised mink Through the 80s. Started from scratch and built up to 300 females I was 17 when I got my first mink. Really neat animals and wish I could of made it go ..... till now maybe. Things have changed

WOW you do have patients to spend so much time to train them

What do the ligbts do? Wondering.

my guess the lights simulate more daylight in a day, which stimulates breeding?

This video will answer your questions on mink reproduction and why I use the lights. https://youtu.be/-nvnZyVjsLU

now that is just amazing

What are the advantages of accelerating production timing? I suppose the cooler weather in April could make the female more attentive and help with kit loss.

Keep us posted on those youngsters

awesome video,thx for sharing!!

When I raised mink we mated in March. We carried the females to the males pen and had males in every sixth pen in the row. We had a goal of 3 matings. A female that was tried today and didn’t breed would be skipped tomorrow and tried again after resting a day. Successful matings would be recorded and the female would be left to rest for 8 days at which time we would repeat the process for a second mating, trying everyday for the next 3 days. If we found success on the second mating and third was attempted the next day

Has the philosophy changed?

Nimzy,
That is basically the same way, each farm is a little differnt but basically the same.
Most farms give 9 days rest now, it takes a full 8 days for the new set of eggs to develop, the extra day helps with a higher whelp number.

I try to get 3

Thanks. Hope you’re nest boxes are full

Carlson mink, you use the lights or old school?

By working mink do you mean mink you put in attics to catch squirrels? If so I might want to buy one LOL