96 COMMISS ION OF CONSERVATION 



either sex which come near them. They should be slaughtered. In 

 one case the canine teeth of a vicious male were cut off and he became 

 quite docile. Mink may be safely handled if two pairs of woollen 

 mitts are worn or one pair of heavy leather gloves. 



The period of gestation is about six weeks. The litters are from 

 two to nine and average five. The tiny young, which are blind for about 

 five weeks, should not be handled. Before they are six weeks old, 

 the mother leads them out and they begin eating solid food. At eight 

 or ten weeks of age they should be taken from the mother, unless she 

 is of a very quiet and gentle temperament. They should be weaned 

 at about 3 months of age. At first take out all but one. 



. The following practical hints on mink-farming have 



on Mink-farming been recently published in circular form by the Bio- 

 logical Survey of the United States Department 

 of Agriculture: 



(1) Minks should be kept in the proportion of one male to five or 

 six females. 



(2) Each breeding female should have a separate pen. The male 

 should be kept by himself except at mating time. The females begin to 

 rut about the middle of February. The male should be admitted to the 

 female for about one day. The young are born about the middle of 

 April. 



(3) The females must be kept alone or they will be likely to kill 

 each other's young. The male would also kill them if he had an 

 opportunity. 



(4) Food: The best steady food for minks is bread and sweet 

 milk, corn-mush and mUk, or corn-mush cooked with bits of meat in 

 it. The animals should have meat or fish about twice a week. The 

 meat may be a very cheap kind. Keep pans clean and feed only as 

 much as the mink will eat up clean at each feeding. Feed once a day, 

 except females that are suckling young. These should be fed twice. 

 Provide fresh water regularly. Do not salt the food. 



(5) Pens: Pens should be 5 or 6 feet square, the sides of smooth, 

 wide boards cut 4 feet long and set up with the lower end resting on a 

 footing of stone or concrete 18 inches in the ground. The floor of the 

 pen should be the bare ground. The pens can be buUt economically in 

 groups of four or more. The sides can be of heavy wire netting instead 

 of boards, but, in that case, the top would need to be netted or the 

 animals would climb out. 



(6) Boxes: Boxes about 2 feet by IJ foot by 1^ foot in size should 

 be provided for nests. They should have hinged lids so as to allow 



