Skunk question

[PippyChicken]

Tonight I went to the chicken coop and smelled skunk spray. Are they a harm to my chickens?

 

[gryeyes]

Yes. At the very least, they are egg eaters. But they also kill chickens when they can.

 

[3chimama]

Yes, skunks will kill chickens...

 

[PippyChicken]

Oh no! That's not good.. How good are they at tearing through chicken wire?

 

[Debbi]

Chicken wire, in my mind, is pretty useless. All it does is keep chickens in, it does NOT keep predators out! As far as I've learned with skunks, they don't have the tenacity of say, a racoon. In otherwords, if the food source is too much of a bother to get to, they will go elsewhere. A coon, on the other hand, will stay until he figures out how to get in! Get much better fencing and you won't have to worry! Even a strand or two of electric fence will help.

 

[CMV]

Quote:
Agree. Skunks are not highly motivated, but other predators are. Consider this a pretest that your coop and run failed. To pass the real test you need to improve your fencing. Hardware cloth is expensive, but worth its weight in gold.

Good luck.

 

[Debbi]

I just looked at my building supply invoice. I bought 100 feet of 1/2" x 48" tall hardware cloth @ $1.75/ft. = $175.00 That was just the hardware cloth! I also bought three 50 foot rolls of 2"x4"x4' tall welded wire, for $110.97. That will do the top part of the sides and make a roof. The hardware cloth on the bottom won't let little racoon hands through to grab a chicken and wrestle it out from the chicken run! I am then, just as an extra precaution, running an apron of wire abour 3' wide, covered in gravel, and also put a strand or two of electric fence around the outside of the whole thing! The chicken coop will be totally inside the fenced area. Skunk, coons, possums, or dogs had better come with bolt cutters if they want my chooks!

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Quote:

Sounds like Fort Knox

 

[Debbi]

Let's hope!

Now, if a bear or that big cat I had awhile back shows up, I may have to run some higher up electric fencing too!

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
did you smell it inside the coop or just around it?