In a funk about the skunks!

[Chickassan]

Ok, full stinky backstory. I don't keep food out, no bowls, no birdfeeders nothing! My neighors are a another story iv'e got birdfeeders on both sides and a bunch of rubbish on one side plus feeders and rubbish across the road. I'm the only one not feeding anything! I must however have an ample supply of grubs and worms, iv'e seen many holes. I know they come around at night, iv'e seen them. I also know they eat mice so I wasn't getting too upset due to that.
This one coming to say hello though has me upset. They cannot access the coop, the best they could do is dig into the run.
I'm basing this on normal nocturnal skunks though, not my new stinky late afternoon buddy.

 

[Chickassan]

Yep, their eyesight is terrible. My new pet actually beat me to the steps.
I pick up the food and water after I lock the coop, the water is near the steps close to the tap. That skunk raced me to the steps to drink. I let it finish, didn't have much choice in the matter.
I'm not the only water source however, there is a pond on the neighbor's property and assorted pet bowls on theirs as well.
My water just has chicken slobber so I guess its better.

I would agree in general, but... I’ve encountered skunks out in farm fields before daylight that I’m fairly certain had little contact with people, and had them do that “chasing” me thing ... I think they see poorly and are just going toward the sound of footsteps sometimes.

 

[Grits&Eggs]

My biggest concern is not only did it not bobble away ... but came towards you ... which tells me either it is used to humans (as they probably fed it) or, it has rabies!

OR, was someones pet!! we had a couple odd creatures like that released near us, (chinchilla) saw it for a couple months, ended up getting themselves "exterminated" (dog or maybe coyote dinner)

 

[Chickassan]

Honestly it didn't act rabid, it acted well..young. I watched it eat grass and dig for grubs. I also watched it play in my mop bucket. It is still a stink bomb so I don't want it hanging around making me freeze to death, but I don't believe it is sick.

 

[SniperGoose]

This past summer we had 6 young skunks hanging around under our mulberry trees, for obvious reasons, and also apparently found lots of grubs in our yard since there were holes everywhere. They had no fear of humans. I had one somehow manage to get into my fenced in area, and my geese were chasing him around (and surprisingly didn't get sprayed). My mom's dog got skunked once, and one of our cats as well. Thankfully, they eventually moved on, and I haven't seen any since. Young ones seem to have little fear of people, but adults do (or at least they should).

If you want the skunk gone though, I'd suggest a live trap. Then you can do with it whatever you please. We've caught so many skunks in ours when trying to trap other things, so I don't think it would be that difficult lol.

 

[Bamabexchicks]

Pepper spray. Not at the skunk, but around the area to prevent his visit.

http://www.wildlife-removal.com/skunkaway.html

 

[NewBoots]

When we were trying to get rid of some raccoons with one of those pipe traps, we caught a young skunk. I dispatched it since I didn't feel right about letting it loose with the kind of injury the pipe trap causes but I felt terrible. It just stood there blinking nearsightedly at me. We switched to live traps and caught many many young skunks (they love marshmallows and eggshells) and turned them loose. We debated about spray painting the tail to see if it was just the same one over and over.

Never had to face a grow one let alone one that was willing to race me to a water dish.

 

[Chickassan]

That is my line of thinking right now. I don't have any beef with the skunk aside from making me freeze and it is just a wee one, iv'e seen big boys this ones a tot.
I can't have the flock harassing it though for obvious reasons if it isn't going to make itself scarce.
And I can't wait out a skunk in the winter, summer i'd have a seat and a smoke but winter I want back inside.
Oh and if anyone is curious, iv'e got another property a few miles away once caught the skunk will go there so it is still my problem just a little farther away. I'm not going to skunk dump.

This past summer we had 6 young skunks hanging around under our mulberry trees, for obvious reasons, and also apparently found lots of grubs in our yard since there were holes everywhere. They had no fear of humans. I had one somehow manage to get into my fenced in area, and my geese were chasing him around (and surprisingly didn't get sprayed). My mom's dog got skunked once, and one of our cats as well. Thankfully, they eventually moved on, and I haven't seen any since. Young ones seem to have little fear of people, but adults do (or at least they should).

If you want the skunk gone though, I'd suggest a live trap. Then you can do with it whatever you please. We've caught so many skunks in ours when trying to trap other things, so I don't think it would be that difficult lol.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

just a tip but if you use dog proof coon traps they will catch skunks (found out the hard way on that one)

but if you catch one shoot it in the heart there not supposed to spray much. head shots they spray every where (again found out the hard way on that one.)

not sure how to repeal a skunk they seem to have no fear and come to everything, sweet baits, rotten baits etc..

 

[Chickassan]

I'm making one of those tube traps that is supposed to keep me from getting sprayed. Word is if they can't jack their tail up they can't spray.
I'm not really out to kill it since even a big one isn't as much of a problem as a raccoon those are always dispatched here. Unless I just don't have a choice, little skunk is just moving. Gah, i'd hate to catch one like you did, just held by the foot that would stink...literally!

just a tip but if you use dog proof coon traps they will catch skunks (found out the hard way on that one)

but if you catch one shoot it in the heart there not supposed to spray much. head shots they spray every where (again found out the hard way on that one.)

not sure how to repeal a skunk they seem to have no fear and come to everything, sweet baits, rotten baits etc..