Minnesota!

[jbenson]

My bff got her chicken coop today. Excited to help get her all set up (she will be taking home 4 of my laying hens once the coop is all set). She has wanted chickens for some time. She is pretty darn excited for fresh eggs for breakfast.

 

[Minniechickmama]

You know, up to this point in my life, I have not been able to stomach eggs that were not cooked to almost a rubbery stage. My husband got on a kick eating poached eggs for a little while, and I had also been watching some of the chef shows on tv. So, I tried one. Now, I am hooked. I can't imagine trying to eat a runny, old store egg for that, but I did enjoy a double yolker and a small egg all poached then placed on some toast with strawberry jam I made last Summer. Mmmm!

 

[lalaland]

LaLa give your repellent a shot. I have to say though sometimes certain animals will persist through repellents if hungry enough. My husband and I come from a line of skunk exterminators. In fact his job at the family resort was skunk removal with a cane pole and slip knot. Once the back feet were off the ground they couldn't spray and foul up the resort for the guests. I won't tell you what he did after...
I remember one year my Grandpa shot over 20 skunks over a summer. They go in cycles --obviously a thick year--and they're hard on poultry.

okay, here's a skunk question: when do they kill chickens? only at night when the chickens are on the roost? or will they run the chickens down in the daylight?

after I haul the car about 50 miles south to see if a transmission flush will save it, I'm heading back north with the jalopena peppers to make the spray. I'm not so sure they are still denning under the shed, I've been trying annoyance with a weather radio on inside the shed, blocking holes (still one escape route) , pee, and havent seen them for two days. but I forot to spread flour in front of the last hole to see if there were any tracks....

No rabid skunks or rabid bats or rabid anything in my county for the last few years...
this is just for Jan thru june of this year: https://www.bah.state.mn.us/media/rabies-map.pdf

 

[starbuck123]

Hi everyone, I was looking on craigslist for some items and ran across this. I have no idea if it'd be helpful for any of you but thought what the heck, I'll repost it here. Someone is looking to buy eggs to hatch within 50 miles of Cambridge.

https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/grd/4925279759.html

 

[duluthralphie]

I have looked t the map/data on rabies...

As one that has been through the shots because of a rabid bat bite. I simply do not believe the data.

It is beyond belief to me to think only 2 cases of rabies existed in the state. Rabies is a virus if the density of the virus was as low as the "data" shows it would be non-existent. It needs a certain level to stay alive. It needs new hosts.

I sure have no idea how to get rid of the skunks. I would try carbon monoxide, gopher stink bombs and anything else I could think of. I would not use a well placed pellet behind the ear like EJB said. I would try 9-12 pellets ( buckshot from a 12 ga) behind the ear with the hope it would kill them before they let fly.

I know I am the minority, but I would not even try to co-exist with a predator.
One must remember when a governmental unit puts out data like that map shows they are doing one of two things;

Showing you how effectively they spent your tax dollars
or
Showing you why they need more tax dollars from you.


I think it is save to say whatever the reason it is self serving.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Well first off I think Skunks like it easy. My aunt had one licking the milk bowl with her big furry white kitties on her farm many years back and it didn't register until she was back in the house that she had an extra "cat" run out from the barn. They like easy food. The chicken feed, eggs laying in a nest, small chicks. If their ambitious/hungry I would say they would try for a bird.

But first & foremost, I wouldn't take the chance of being sprayed because I'm trying to co-exist with that vermin. I like being welcomed at my job each day.

Heeewwwww doggies their strong smellin'

I think why we don't tolerate them is they are pests of a high degree.

I will say though, that I've had them move through the yard a few nights taking care of my lawn rooting out grubs. For that they are beneficial and these particular individual skunks seemed to move on after their middle of the night yard work was done. But that's about it. If they're casing my coop...adios.

 

[nordicacres]

OMG, all this talk about skunks. I came home from work this morning . . . and yep, smelled a skunk as soon as I got out of the car. We've only had one before (that I know of) right when we moved here. Let the dog out and she managed to find it, chase it, and luckily avoided getting sprayed. Wonder if the same thing happened this AM. Sigh.

 

[brandislee]

Is anyone within reasonable driving distance of the South Metro (I'm in Hastings) planning on hatching any Easter Eggers or Ameraucanas this Spring? I normally get mine from Minniechickmama (she's great, if you're looking for chicks) but I want to mix up my genetics. I was going to just suck it up and get some hatchery EE's, but I heard they're having issues with them this year and I do NOT want to introduce issues into my flock.

 

[Dandelioness]

jbjenson - get your BFF onto BYC!

I've been watching the skunk interchange with great interest, it's like a tennis match!! LOL

We have all kinds of stuff around us, skunk included. But the only losses, besides that one fox getting a guinea I had not realized was outside, have been to my dogs as they learned NOT to eat the chickens.

I could drive myself batty trying to kill off all the predators on my land!! But then the bunnies and ground squirrels, who I know are also around, would not have anything to check their population.

My rule of thumb is, leave it alone until it bothers the chickens (or kids, or goats, or bees, or whatever). But I'm a relative noob compared to others on this thread. I do think taking up residence in one of the outbuildings sorta counts as bothering the homestead. But I think I would try to drive it away first, if it hasn't caused any other problems.

I certainly have no problem dispatching a pest, though, when other means have proven futile.

I hope the flour thing can confirm whether your little skunk has found another home, if for no other reason than it would be a much less smelly job for you, Lalaland!!

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Here's another thing on Skunks.

http://icwdm.org/handbook/carnivor/Skunks.asp

Oh gosh Nordicacres. Hopefully the puppy doesn't like to chase them. It's either one way or the other with dogs it seems. They learn or they get angry everytime they see one! The neighbors buried a dead one one fall. And all during the winter and spring my dog would go to the grave and roll in it. She must have got 17 baths that year for skunk smell. Just like designer perfume to her! Hahaha. Finally we found the remnants of the carcass one day and really got rid of it.