Do skunks work together?

[clashmore]

Back story: our chicken run/coop runs along a length of tall cement retaining wall. It is 8 inches from the wall and we have 7 chickens.
Saturday Morning we woke to 3 dead chickens- carcasses left inside the chicken run, with 1 very small hole under the run by the wall. We cleaned everything up, fixed the hole (we filled it in and replaced the large rocks that we have surrounding the area- this rock is about 10 inches diameter and heavy). Then we set a live trap with bait.
Sunday morning we woke to an empty trap, 2 dead chickens. This time there were 3 holes dug under the run in various places, with 2 of the chickens partially pulled through the holes. there was also some shallow digging a few feet away from the coop. On the other side of the yard (which is 1 acre) we buried the other chickens in a box, pretty deep. The was digging there as well, but whatever it was gave up.
We filled in the holes and started working to secure the coop and run. On the length against the retaining wall, we filled in the holes, replaced the big rocks, and then dumped buckets upon buckets of rocks there. Rocks were about the size of a fist. at least 12 -18 inches deep and stuck tightly between the wall and run.
Sunday night we put the remaining 2 birds in the garage in a large dog kennel with a roosting shelf.
Monday morning we have 1 small skunk in the live trap.
What surprises me is that there is a hole dug through all those rocks! in one area right in the middle, all the rocks are pulled out and there is a tunnel back into the run! There were easier ways to get in, but the animal dug through the rocks?! I don't know if it was the one we caught that did the digging and went for the bait after discovering there were no chickens? or did one get trapped and one kept trying?
Has anyone experienced or seen multiple skunks going after chickens together? We are not putting our chickens back in the coop at night until we catch the intruder. And I don't want to get more chickens until we have everything secured...I was thinking we would need pavers instead of rocks? any advice? We've had these chickens for 2 years with no problems until this weekend.

 

[sourland]

Skunks, especially this time of year, will hunt as families. I have seen weasels (same family) engaging in a similar practice.

 

[cmom]

I had a skunk issue a few years ago. We are rural on a dead end road and someone was relocating their skunk catches here. In a two week period I caught a skunk nightly and one night got two skunks in a trap. I eliminated them. They do indeed dig. My suggestion would be to put up a camera if you have one and see if there are other predators also. Good luck...
http://www.poultrydvm.com/featured-infographic/tips-for-protecting-poultry-from-predators

 

[cmom]

Some chicks of different breeds look quite similar. Again, good luck...

 

[mowin]

Absolutely they will work together. It's usually a family group as mentioned above. They are fantastic diggers.

 

[McChooky]

I made a raised coup and have run with an apron around it.To get inside my coop they'd have to dig in the run 1st then chew a hole in the coop floor. I check on the chickens at least once every night after midnight.I smelled a skunk the other night...

 

[McChooky]

I've heard a fox has a musky scent that reminds you of a skunk. If it's true I could have a fox .

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Can you bury hardware cloth in the ground at least a foot down on that side? It doesn't sound like you have room to build an apron of hardware cloth between your coop/ run and the wall, but if you could, that might work too. Obviously rocks are not working. Pavers might be another possibility, but setting them with mortar might be your best bet if at all possible, if you are going to have to dig down to place them anyway. Those skunks have tasted chicken and will be back. Your next move has to be a checkmate, not just another move in the game. Good luck! Keep us posted.

 

[Egger4me]

Back story: our chicken run/coop runs along a length of tall cement retaining wall. It is 8 inches from the wall and we have 7 chickens.
Saturday Morning we woke to 3 dead chickens- carcasses left inside the chicken run, with 1 very small hole under the run by the wall. We cleaned everything up, fixed the hole (we filled it in and replaced the large rocks that we have surrounding the area- this rock is about 10 inches diameter and heavy). Then we set a live trap with bait.
Sunday morning we woke to an empty trap, 2 dead chickens. This time there were 3 holes dug under the run in various places, with 2 of the chickens partially pulled through the holes. there was also some shallow digging a few feet away from the coop. On the other side of the yard (which is 1 acre) we buried the other chickens in a box, pretty deep. The was digging there as well, but whatever it was gave up.
We filled in the holes and started working to secure the coop and run. On the length against the retaining wall, we filled in the holes, replaced the big rocks, and then dumped buckets upon buckets of rocks there. Rocks were about the size of a fist. at least 12 -18 inches deep and stuck tightly between the wall and run.
Sunday night we put the remaining 2 birds in the garage in a large dog kennel with a roosting shelf.
Monday morning we have 1 small skunk in the live trap.
What surprises me is that there is a hole dug through all those rocks! in one area right in the middle, all the rocks are pulled out and there is a tunnel back into the run! There were easier ways to get in, but the animal dug through the rocks?! I don't know if it was the one we caught that did the digging and went for the bait after discovering there were no chickens? or did one get trapped and one kept trying?
Has anyone experienced or seen multiple skunks going after chickens together? We are not putting our chickens back in the coop at night until we catch the intruder. And I don't want to get more chickens until we have everything secured...I was thinking we would need pavers instead of rocks? any advice? We've had these chickens for 2 years with no problems until this weekend.

We put hard wire under the coop and 12 “ inside the run another 12 “ on the outside of the coop and run. We also put up solar motion lights on the coop. The whole run is in closed with wire including the top of the run. We have done that with each coop. So far so good Three years no issues. Couple other things we hung the feeder and all feed is in metal cans.

 

[MasterofNone]

I myself have little experience with chickens but my just the other day my 95yo grandfather was regaling us with a story about a weasel (or mink? Clearly I am the one with the bad memory in this family. )

Anyway, he said, years ago, they had a mink/weasel get into the coop overnight and kill 19 chickens one night, and all of them were found with their heads pulled thru the fence. It would slink in through a very small hole, like you are describing, very dexterous and strong at moving things out of the way. It slit the bird's throats. In the morning all the chickens heads were pulled thru the fence, as the critter killed them where it found them, judging from the blood trails, then pulled them each thru the fence, presumably to eat them somewhere safer for it. When it didn't succeed with a chicken, it just went and killed another and repeated.

Grandpa took one of the carcasses and hung it from a rafter just outside of the coop and waited for it to come back the next night. It did and he handled it the way farmers do.

He told us of another time a weasel (I remember this one at least) came into the coop at night and just slit every single chicken's throat. It never even tried to eat them that time, just let them drop and went to the next bird. It was, according to him, 'just having fun.'

Not sure if thats the least bit helpful or related to your situation, but I'd be happy to pick his brain for more info if you thought it might help.

I am so sorry about your chickens.