Dealing with skunks

[Goat LOVER]

I went out this morning to find a die-eaten mandarin duck. A skunk must have gotten through their door last night and got one and an egg. What is the best way to get rid of skunks I really don't need them around and I lost baby ducks last year to them.

 

[Evadig]

I went out this morning to find a die-eaten mandarin duck. A skunk must have gotten through their door last night and got one and an egg. What is the best way to get rid of skunks I really don't need them around and I lost baby ducks last year to them.

Just wondering...what makes you think its a skunk?

 

[Folly's place]

It could be a skunk, raccoon, or another critter. Do you have a game camera set up?
It's essential to have a safe coop, at least for overnight!!! If a skunk can enter, so can anyone else, and could kill every bird you have. This critter will return for sure, so be fixing things today.
Live traps work, as long as you will shoot, not relocate, if you get a predator. Only resorting to trapping, while not fixing the coop, won't solve future problems.
Mary

 

[Penpal]

I had a skunk around. I went out to bring the chicks inside, it was dark. I found a skunk had dug up an egg I had placed in one of the tomato tubs. He left the birds alone. I think they prefer eggs to chickens. Just the same, you need a predator proof coop for the chickens to spend the night in, as Folly's Place suggested.

I don't think you want to trap a skunk. If you shoot one, it needs to be a head shot. Possibly sprinkling hot pepper flakes on his trail and/or around the coop, will make him stay away.

 

[Huntmaster]

It could be a skunk, raccoon, or another critter. Do you have a game camera set up?
It's essential to have a safe coop, at least for overnight!!! If a skunk can enter, so can anyone else, and could kill every bird you have. This critter will return for sure, so be fixing things today.
Live traps work, as long as you will shoot, not relocate, if you get a predator. Only resorting to trapping, while not fixing the coop, won't solve future problems.
Mary

X2

 

[Goat LOVER]

I saw a skunk and have seen them around. They like eggs but will also kill small birds, baby chickens, and ducks normally but mandarin ducks are so small they like them too. We don't really have a lot of predators just owls and skunk. I had skunks eat baby duck last year and raise there young on my property.

 

[Goat LOVER]

I drilled the door shut tonight and will have to make a new door tomorrow, Guess the old one wasn't strong enough. They are in a coop and then have a 6-foot run with a roof. Do LGDs keep skunks away? Also, I'm willing to shoot it.. well I may have my dad or brother shoot it for me lol. I can use a trap but we have cats that run around and don't want one getting in the trap.

 

[Huntmaster]

I drilled the door shut tonight and will have to make a new door tomorrow, Guess the old one wasn't strong enough. They are in a coop and then have a 6-foot run with a roof. Do LGDs keep skunks away? Also, I'm willing to shoot it.. well I may have my dad or brother shoot it for me lol. I can use a trap but we have cats that run around and don't want one getting in the trap.

You can use a live trap baited with an egg best skunk bait I ever used.

 

[Folly's place]

With live traps, set up properly, you can release cats or whoever you don't want to catch, right where you caught them. Fruit works as bait for some critters, and isn't going to attract cats.
We have trapped and shot skunks: Quietly approach the trap, holding an old blanket or tarp in front of you, then drape it over the trap. Carry the trap with tarp out to your pre-dug burial site, lift one end of the tarp, and make a head shot, with a 22. When the little guy is dead, dump him into the grave and cover. We haven't had one actually spray, but skunks smell pretty bad anyway.
Mary

 

[MugsyM]

Just wondering...what makes you think its a skunk?

Last night my ducks wouldn't go in their pen. No way just wasn't gonna happen. Went in to check the water and while I was cleaning out and filling up their water I looked at the next pen and I caught sight of 5 skunks running around just eating eggs like them are in an all you can eat buffet.
We have a brooder in the coop beside the one they were in. My brooder decided to brood at the back of an igloo dog house in the coop. We can't see her unless we get the flashlight, get down and look in the corner so we don't know if she or her eggs are in there or not.
Now the question, short of shooting them how do we get them out? I can't think of any way to get them out. My husband is down there, outside the pens, to see if he can check on Goldie without getting a spray. I won't let my dog out...I have dealt with one skunk spray and that's bad, I don't want to even think of 5. Has anybody had a family take over a coop and have any idea of how to chase them out with no sprays.