Oregon~lost 6 feathered chicks & found another pest in the house

[Holiday Angel]

We have ground squirrels and moles and they make tunnels everywhere. Can't seem to get rid of them.
I noticed that several chicks were gone, 1/2 dozen, and couldn't find them anywhere, then I spotted them, two still missing, one stuck almost through the deep 4-6" wide hole in the ground and the rest laying almost in line as if they just couldn't cram them all in at once.
What would that be? Do ground squirrels do that/
Last night I heard the chickens going crazy again and kept smelling a skunk although it wasn't as strong as a usual skunk. I went out and sure enough there was a skunk, my flashlight rapidly dimming and me chasing it with a broom. It seemed to want out of there as much as I wanted him out. He was drinking water from the chicken waterer when I first spotted him.
The strange thing is he tried to spray but he couldn't accomplish a typical spray, thank God.
I am thinking this may be a descent-ed skunk that someone may have/has owned.
I need to increase security on the base of the pen but how does one keep the burrowing animal out?

 

[allmypeeps]

You can dig a trench around the base of the wire pen and toss in crushed rock, bricks, cement, a thick borad, or some mesh wire. bury it back up and hope that keeps the diggers out.

Keep the coop extra clean so as not to 'attract' scavengers liek squirrels and skunk...if a skunck can get in so can a opossum or raccoon and they will kill your flock.

you can spray 'critter deterrants' all around the coop area whci should be available at Home depot or feed, gradening stores.

good luck

e

 

[Emzyyy]

I would try traping the skunk if you think it was originally someones pet it prob came to you because it doesn't know where to get food elsewhere.

 

[dsvabulas]

I had a skunk take about 8 of my 7wk old RIR. It has a thumb, just like a coon, it reached through the wire and ripped their heads off, the bodies still left in the run. I ran another length of wire over the first one so they (skunks) couldn't reach in anymore. Watch out for him!!!!

 

[Over Easy in Adna]

I would not try to trap it, after all it is a SKUNK! What happens if the next time it tries to spray it figures out to take the safety off first.

 

[Judy]

If he tried to spray but could not, I imagine he was a pet who either got dumped or escaped, and he's been de-scented, or whatever it is called. He's probably a worse predator than a wild skunk.

 

[allmypeeps]

Actually skunks will run and raise their tails- but they do not always spray...they wait until they feel threatened enough.

He probably was nt a pet- just not that scared of you...

 

[JMC52]

Sorry to hear, I was really worried about putting my girls outside for the whole night so I poured a concrete footing around there coop, now I can sleep at night

 

[Holiday Angel]

It is a hard one to sleep at night, for sure. I will have to get it done Monday because this weekend I am gone to town with another daughter of mine. I will be sweating the whole time thinking about my babies. The other daughter and her husband live on the same property and will "look" out for them but they are not as attentive as I am.
Rocks will have to do till I get to them..
Thank you all for your advice and points of view they are treasured..
Blessings!