Beware Of Tunneling Skunks!!! (Graphic Pictures)

[MysteryChicken]

Are you sure it's there?
Give it time.

I'm sure it's still scoping out my birds. I did block off more entry points, so it could've been distracted with trying to figure out how to get into the coop now. No new digging like yesterday, so I believe that's a positive sign.

 

[MysteryChicken]

That's terrible & scary. How far did the skunk tunnel?

Near the other side in the chicken run. I never found the beginning of the tunnel, so I have no idea where it begins.

 

[2hotchicks]

Near the other side in the chicken run. I never found the beginning of the tunnel, so I have no idea where it begins.

Yikes, this is scary. Sorry for your loss, but thanks for warning the rest of us about this danger.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Yikes, this is scary. Sorry for your loss, but thanks for warning the rest of us about this danger.

You're welcome. We're all here to help each other.

 

[PDXJULES]

If you see test digs all-around a fence or border that is not a usual Squirrel area, you may have Skunks foraging bugs and exploring viability for a new tunnel/burrow. Take action as they return every nite, rats too. We use Cayenne Pepper (from the Dollar Store) as well as trying to block holes. Rags soaked with ammonia is a deterrent you can try also.

 

[Sea Wolf]

The dirt is still quite solid under the top layer of mud, my shoes didn't sink in like they have before.
That run will be getting leaves put in it soon, so I won't have to worry about the mud.

I( found that leaves break down, start to rot and seem to add to the problem. I dump in, instead, a bale of the cheap, white pine shavings like for a horse stall. They absorb a lot of the water and seem to do a nice job of solidifying the goop. Low spots that made puddles I filled with a coarse gravel. The chickens didn't dig out the spots and it filled in across the top and eliminated the puddles.

 

[Kezs]

It's probably too late to help you much, but I put 1/4' hardware cloth under my coop as well as all sides and the top. Nothing can get in but they can still scratch and grass can grow if you want. I ended up putting sand over mine and it's awesome, it drains perfectly and there is never a smell, and we scoop it like a cat box.

They have the hardware cloth for reasonable prices on Amazon. I think I bought 48' wide by 50 feet for $75 last spring. Somehow that was cheaper than 100ft. It's also Galvanized so it should rust for years.

 

[ReliezFarm]

Mhmmm. Are you going to kill it or remove it?

where there is one there is more. I caught and killed 9 of them in my yard, coming from my neighbors jungle. they didn't even need bait, just walked into the trap every night. I used a live trap that has openings on both sides, so they think it's safe to walk through. put it on the most likely path and they just walk in every night.

 

[ReliezFarm]

The deed was done a little while ago, & it was an extra stinky one. Had to throw our hoodies, & coats in the wash, the wind carried the spray mist, & we got alittle. Non on our pants at least.

I found if you shoot them properly in the skull, they will not spray. But if you don't get an instant kill, they squirt all over the place. Best place to put the shot is in the soft part of the skull like the temple into the center. Frontal lobe is too hard as is back of skull. I can now do it with my high powered .177 pellet gun in one shot.

 

[postman44]

I trapped 2 skunks in my chicken run this year. Both dug under the gate. They went after the eggs not the hens thank goodness. Telltale signs were hollowed out egg shells with a hole in the end. Confirmed with my portable motion camera set up. Just cracked a raw egg in the trap. Nothing fancy with bait. Placed at the top of ramp going into the coop. Skunks will go for easiest food source. Eggs, feed, then the hens. Unless a hen gets spooked and wants to challenge the skunk, then bye bye hen.