My henhouse stinks of skunk... ???

[chickensducks&agoose]

My henhouse (which is near our compost pile) REEKS of skunk. Our dog got sprayed 3 days ago, and I sort of assumed the skunky stink was leftovers from that... but it still smells, bad, and I'm concerned the skunk might be living under the henhouse or something... There's no way for it to get into the henhouse, but it could be underneath. I looked with a flashlight, but didn't see anything. what to do?

 

[chicmom]

Can you set up a trap for it? That is what I would do, then, once you have it, shoot it from a distance so that it can't spray you. Or since skunks are nocturnal, you could always wait until dusk, then it will come out to feed and you could shoot it.

 

[lilchick]

I had a skunk under the chicken barn and evidence that it dug holes and got in the pens at night. My jack russell let me know it was sleeping under there at night.... So I borrowed ideas from old timer and he said set a live trap with an open can of tuna AND most importantly tie a long rope to the trap.
Next a.m. a skunk should be sleeping in the trap... Pull it SLOWLY away from your barn and to a safe place to shoot it. Whew when it gets shot it will stink up everything around it...

 

[newchickmom]

I have had that problem a couple of times. I put used kitty litter down.

Look for a dug out area and dump the used kitty litter in front of the hole. Another idea is to pour ammonia on the ground. You could go all the way around the chicken house with it, and the ammonia will just soak into the ground so it won't be a danger to the chickens. Skunks and raccoons hate the smell and will move out.

 

[kla37]

I've heard vinegar works OK, but never tried it myself. UGH

 

[ellieroo]

Use Febreze what ever one you like it, the pet oder one works for us, does a good job on skunk smell even the skunked dog.

 

[mmwb]

Things like ammonia and vinegar may help temporarily, but dissipate rapidly. The skunk smell will dissipate as well in time. I guess I deal with the smell trapping that it doesn't bother me.