EMERGENCY!! Chicken's eggs ALL broken by skunk or what predator??!!

[EasterChickens]

Hello everyone, I have been seeing some broken chicken eggs outside & inside the nest boxes for the past 2 weeks or so. I didn't think it was serious until I had enough of all the broken chicken eggs I saw. I usually collect my chicken eggs daily, but sometimes if I do forget, 1 skunk (I think) comes and starts breaking the eggs at 2-3am. I woke up today at around 7:50am, and checked the nest boxes and saw 3 broken eggs (including another one at the end of the nest box which you can't see in this photo) I uploaded some photos for you guys to see close-up on the broken eggs and also uploaded a photo of the 3 broken eggs I saw when I first woke up.

IMPORTANT CONCERN: I'm going on a trip for 1 week in 2 days and I'm so worried if maybe that skunk or some other predator can kill my 4 chickens. *I do have someone coming to fill in the food/water once every 3 days and collect the eggs daily BUT not closing the chicken's coop door.*

HERE IS A VIDEO CAPTURED BY RING OF THE PREDATOR I THINK ATE MY CHICKEN'S EGGS (this video is from my front yard NOT my backyard, though i still think this is the predator that ate the eggs.) : https://scontent-sjc3-1.cdninstagra...bc6083e22e120c79d28faadb546b4c&_nc_sid=195af5

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The skunk, opossum, raccoon or whatever can't get the eggs if you lock the coop at night.
If you don't lock the chickens in at night, you'll eventually lose one or all of them.

 

[Show Sebright]

I would move the hen box it the coop while your gone. The skunk won’t be getting in while you gone if they are locked up securely.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I honestly will try to trap it and release it somewhere??

Is trap and release legal in your area? In many areas it's not, or has a lot of restrictions (i.e. you can only release on your own property). If you can't stand killing it yourself, hire a licensed trapper to deal with it.

 

[EasterChickens]

The skunk, opossum, raccoon or whatever can't get the eggs if you lock the coop at night.
If you don't lock the chickens in at night, you'll eventually lose one or all of them.

Hello ChickenCanoe, my nest box is located outside of the coop that I made for them out of a cardboard box. I'll really try to do anything as possible.


Thanks for your help,
Valerie

 

[Show Sebright]

Do you she a picture of you coop set up. When you say coop do you mean a run too?

 

[MildlyOffensiveChicken]

Depending on you state rules (or how willing you are to violate them), you could live trap the skunk and kill it...or.... use a trap that kills.

I will live trap and then shoot from a distance with a 22.

Skunks got 26 of my chicks this year.

You could also buy a high powered pellet gun, one from a sporting goods store and wait for the skunks and spotlight with a headlamp and shoot it.

 

[Show Sebright]

I'm not sure what you mean by "Do you she a picture of you coop set up."? Yes when I say coop I mean coop with a run but a small one I always fence them in my plant yard (with like lemon trees and apple trees.) I don't let them play in their run since it's too tight, instead I let them out (kind of like free ranging them, but in a apple & lemon tree plant area.)

MY COOP LOOKS LIKE THE ONE BELOW:

Ok, well the coop has a hen box already. And I know it is bad but if you can’t find anyone to lock then in then you might have to keep them in their run/coop. Since it is only 4 girls they can survive a week. They will be upset though. It is your decision .

 

[EasterChickens]

Is trap and release legal in your area? In many areas it's not, or has a lot of restrictions (i.e. you can only release on your own property). If you can't stand killing it yourself, hire a licensed trapper to deal with it.

Thanks for your reply! I will see.

 

[EasterChickens]

I would move the hen box it the coop while your gone. The skunk won’t be getting in while you gone if they are locked up securely.

Hello Show Sebright, my coop is 3 x 4 since I have only 4 chickens, and my whole big cardboard nest box can't fit into a 3 x 4 coop. i'll try to tell the person that will watch my chickens while i'm gone to close the coop, but the problem is if my chicken watcher closes the coop door at night, she can't come the next morning to my house early at 8am to unlock it for my chickens. It's a very tight situation but I will do as much as possible.


Thanks for your help,
Valerie