Pray for my girls...a skunks about

[Viksceeks]

I used to have a bad attitude towards skunks until I learned that they dig up and eat yellow jackets. Now they have my blessing. Locked up in a coop, or roosting in trees, your chickens will be fine.

I had no idea they ate wasps. I have an infestation of yellow jackets every year so I guess the skunks aren't doing their job

 

[cmom]

Last year I caught 4 skunks in live traps, they got 2 of my hens before I redid the coop. I also have a ton of racoons around me. My flock is fine but that means the skunks have discovered the new coop and my birds... I still smell like skunk lol it must have been right by me without seeing it. I'm going to invest in a critter cam. Any suggestions?

It's been a few year now but someone was catching and releasing skunks in my area. We are rural on a dead end road. They were digging up my yard. I put a live trap out and in around two weeks I caught around a dozen skunks. One night I got two skunks in one trap. I talked to a wildlife officer at the time and told him of my problem. He told me I could eliminate them so I did. Another night I went out to check on the chicks because I had forgotten to close their pop door. When I went out there was a skunk attempting to dig under the gate to their pen. Somehow the pop door was closed just enough that some of the chicks couldn't get in. I stomped my feet at the skunk and it turned towards me and stomped it's feet at me. I went into the house and got my rifle and went back out and stomped my feet at the skunk and again it seemed persistent. I shot it and put a bucket over it until I could deal with it in the morning.

I have several game cameras. Some are better than others. I am more interested in good nighttime pictures because here most of the predators come out at night. Another BYC member bought this camera and posted some pictures. The pictures were decent. My store just recently has gone through a serious remodel and I have been trying to get one but they haven't put them out yet and the girl at the counter was looking for them when I went in but couldn't find them. I'll keep trying. I think it takes the standard SD memory card. A very inexpensive camera.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Tasco-8MP-Tan-Game-Camera-Low-Glow/55614224