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Mink nest box #7273950
05/27/21 08:53 PM
05/27/21 08:53 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,227
wantage n.j.
E
eric space Offline OP
trapper
eric space  Offline OP
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E

Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,227
wantage n.j.
In a back corner of an old barn on the family farm I found this mink whelping nest box. I think it is the last of it's kind. Made from WWII ammo boxes, at one time we had over 8000 of these. As I have stated on here before, my family raised over 25,000 mink a year. When we went out of the mink ranching business in 1986 the over 10 acres of mink sheds and pens were demolished. A few of the nest boxes were stored previously in some of the farm buildings but in the 35 years since have been used for other animals or birds. Some were burned for firewood. These boxes were hung on the end of a breeder pen that was 3 feet long 16 inches wide and the same high. Bedding was first cutting grass hay. We used first cutting as it was coarser, 2nd cutting grass hay tends to be finer and would tangle up on the embilcial cords of the newborns, killing them if not noticed (actually heard, little mink can cry loud) and trimmed off them.
This box says it was for 50 cal ammo, when filled it weighed 110 pounds. The tin on the top was added on and meant this box was used on one of the first few pens inside the entrance to the shed to protect the nest from days when it rained or snowed and blew in the open ended shed. Boxes further in the shed had wire lids. The hole is also tin lined or the mink would chew it out to a much larger size.

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[Linked Image]

Re: Mink nest box [Re: eric space] #7273962
05/27/21 09:08 PM
05/27/21 09:08 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 6,459
central Haudenosaunee, the De...
W
white marlin Offline
trapper
white marlin  Offline
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W

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 6,459
central Haudenosaunee, the De...
cool bit of history!

Thanks, Mr. Space!

Re: Mink nest box [Re: eric space] #7274073
05/27/21 10:57 PM
05/27/21 10:57 PM
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 4,817
central arkansas
T
the Blak Spot Offline
trapper
the Blak Spot  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 4,817
central arkansas
Very nice!


the just shall live by faith

member FTA, ATA, EAFT
1776 - the year we told a tyrant we weren't to be under a dictator
Caveat ater macula
Re: Mink nest box [Re: eric space] #7274120
05/27/21 11:52 PM
05/27/21 11:52 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,301
Waterville Minnesota
M
mudtracker Offline
trapper
mudtracker  Offline
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M

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,301
Waterville Minnesota
I am finding myself wondering about the aroma of 25,000 mink on 10 acres.


WHO MADE THIS MESS ALL OVER MY FLOOR THE MUDTRACKER WAS HERE HE HE HE
Re: Mink nest box [Re: eric space] #7274148
05/28/21 12:59 AM
05/28/21 12:59 AM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,187
IA, WI, ND, IL
M
martyd Offline
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martyd  Offline
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,187
IA, WI, ND, IL
It smelled like money. Ha ha ha. I raised mink a few years but not on the scale your family did. Did you guys ever regret pelting out ? The ranchers that stayed On business have had some real good years and some real bad years since 1986. MD

Re: Mink nest box [Re: martyd] #7274171
05/28/21 05:10 AM
05/28/21 05:10 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,717
Maine
M
Mac Offline
trapper
Mac  Offline
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M

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,717
Maine
Eric, Thanks for sharing that picture and story.

Mac



Re: Mink nest box [Re: eric space] #7274229
05/28/21 07:27 AM
05/28/21 07:27 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 12,983
Central Pennsylvania
Nittany Lion Offline
Don't call me Mister, Mister
Nittany Lion  Offline
Don't call me Mister, Mister

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 12,983
Central Pennsylvania
Interesting, very interesting, thanks for sharing.


I got myself a seniors' GPS.
Not only does it tell me how to get to my destination,
it tells me why I wanted to go there.
Re: Mink nest box [Re: eric space] #7274325
05/28/21 09:23 AM
05/28/21 09:23 AM
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 25,381
williams,mn
trapper les Offline
trapper
trapper les  Offline
trapper

Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 25,381
williams,mn
All our nesting boxes had that metal ring in them, and there's still some box/pen parts around the farm somewhere along with a few stacks of old pens with popple and bam growing up through them.


"Those who hammer their guns into plowshares will plow for those who do not."
Re: Mink nest box [Re: eric space] #7274353
05/28/21 09:56 AM
05/28/21 09:56 AM
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,870
Mn
N
nightlife Offline
trapper
nightlife  Offline
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N

Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,870
Mn
Eric do you mind sharing where your mink farm was in Wisconsin, just wondering because there used to be one near my cousins that went out of business around then and wonder if it might have been yours

Always like going past that place, I know many don’t like the smell of mink musk but I always have



�Everything in excess! To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks.�
― Robert A. Heinlein
Re: Mink nest box [Re: eric space] #7274414
05/28/21 11:19 AM
05/28/21 11:19 AM
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 190
PA
G
GotFur3 Offline
trapper
GotFur3  Offline
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Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 190
PA
Eric thanks for sharing

Re: Mink nest box [Re: eric space] #7274501
05/28/21 01:02 PM
05/28/21 01:02 PM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 649
Europe
P
Pest's Dad Offline
trapper
Pest's Dad  Offline
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P

Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 649
Europe
Thanks, Eric. I too just Love this stuff. Relics of lost days just speak to us on an inner level.

Re: Mink nest box [Re: eric space] #7274517
05/28/21 01:26 PM
05/28/21 01:26 PM
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 20,233
The Hill Country of Texas
Leftlane Offline
"HOSS"
Leftlane  Offline
"HOSS"

Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 20,233
The Hill Country of Texas
Eric Space threads always make me with I was a water trapper for a min or 2


“What’s good for me may not be good for the weak minded.”
Captain Gus McCrae- Texas Rangers


Re: Mink nest box [Re: eric space] #7274518
05/28/21 01:27 PM
05/28/21 01:27 PM
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 20,233
The Hill Country of Texas
Leftlane Offline
"HOSS"
Leftlane  Offline
"HOSS"

Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 20,233
The Hill Country of Texas
Beav can have the same affect if I read too much of his stuff.


“What’s good for me may not be good for the weak minded.”
Captain Gus McCrae- Texas Rangers


Re: Mink nest box [Re: eric space] #7274556
05/28/21 02:47 PM
05/28/21 02:47 PM
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 5,101
Northern Michigan
J
J.Morse Offline
trapper
J.Morse  Offline
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J

Joined: May 2013
Posts: 5,101
Northern Michigan
Cool history, Eric. I had an uncle whose brother raised mink. He re-did all his nest boxes once in the late 70's and I grabbed a 1964 F-100 bed load of them and nailed them up all around the lake I grew up on, hoping the wood ducks would use them. They did nest in some, but so did a host of other birds and beasts. Wish I had another 100 or so today. Some of those boxes were still hanging 10 or so years ago when I was last down there.


Re: Mink nest box [Re: eric space] #7274666
05/28/21 06:05 PM
05/28/21 06:05 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,227
wantage n.j.
E
eric space Offline OP
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eric space  Offline OP
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,227
wantage n.j.
Our family farm is located in Beemerville, NJ and that is where the mink were raised. For a short time (1964-1971) we also had a second mink ranch in Middleburg, NY.
Once the kits started eating whole food until we started pelting them we fed 6 tons of food a day. That meant 6 tons of manure a day, so like any other livestock the main tool used was a shovel. Mink manure can grow some amazing fields of hay, problem is the first year nothing will eat it. Grows some monster ears of corn which animals will eat. Sweetcorn grown on fresh mink manure does tend to taste like mink manure!
Mink ranching is a lot of hard work and a 365 day a year job.

Re: Mink nest box [Re: eric space] #7274765
05/28/21 07:54 PM
05/28/21 07:54 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,638
Williamsport, Pa.
J
jk Offline
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jk  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,638
Williamsport, Pa.
Thanks for posting, I always enjoy your posts. Are you going to do any demos any more?......jk


Free people are not equal. Equal people are not free. What's supposed to be ain't always is. Hopper Hunter
Re: Mink nest box [Re: eric space] #7274883
05/28/21 09:48 PM
05/28/21 09:48 PM
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 649
tennessee
C
clintp1971 Offline
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clintp1971  Offline
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Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 649
tennessee
Very neat! Thanks for sharing!

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