SKUNK sprayed inside my coop & I'm stressing now

[Katy]

Quote:
My husband can tell you this theory isn't true!! They can spray just fine....they just can't aim it quite as well.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

I am sorry to hear that, but growing up we have had to destroy a few skunks in the hen house before. killing in Cold weather tends not to be as bad as our hot humid summers in VA. It did not harm our chickens at all. Now with all that being said, it is the next day and we are all waiting to hear your news on how you dealt with opening the coop Tuesday morning(today).

 

[Sparky2726]

Skunks will spray in a small trap, but they stay much calmer and dont TEND to spray in them. I cover all my traps with signboard on the sides and top, leaving the back open. That helps alot also.

As far as getting rid of the smell, this works real well, I have used it more than once.

1qt (large bottle) or Hydrogen Peroxide,
1 cup of bakeing soda
squirt of dish detergent.

Do not mix until ready to use.

Lee

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
My husband can tell you this theory isn't true!! They can spray just fine....they just can't aim it quite as well.

x2 THEY CAN AND WILL SPRAY IN SURPRISINGLY TIGHT QUARTERS the best I have done is either trapping them in conibear traps they die quick and almost never spray some leak just a tiny bit or cover the cage trap with a blanket or sheet and take them away from the capture site and dispatch them

 

[ColbyNTX]

I found it is easier to just have the kids deal with a skunk in the livetrap!

My son got sprayed in the mouth one time and about 6 of his cousins also got sprayed at the same time. It was a funny lesson learned on removing a skunk from a livetrap. It was on a thanksgiving before lunch so all the kids had to eat outside.

 

[Katy]

Quote:
That makes me gag just thinking about it.

 

[Kristyx8]

Your eggs will taste and smell like skunks for a month! Just kiding, everything will be fine.

My cousins chickens were sprayed last year, her eggs she has to keep throwing them out still. They taste and smell like skunk.

 

[Feathergardens]

I actually lost close to 20 young chickens this summer too two different skunks. Contrary to much of what I read, I've found them to be deadly to young chickens. They didn't kill any full grown birds but two bantam.

The part that is the craziest is that he was just pilling them up like it was for fun. Many still alive and could barely find the bite marks if at all. Still, the ones that were alive never recovered. They quit growing and wasted away. Two that appeared fine, but first bathed in the heavy spray area that I shoot him in, also wasted away.

So I'm currently in the belief that chickens they may not smell well, but the oils or bacteria from the smallest of birds is extremely toxic. Part of this view is because as a youngster I picked up 3 baby skunks on a 3 wheeler, I did not even realize they had sprayed, and by the time I got home I could barely walk straight. I suppose the smell came on slow enough that I didn't think it was that strong, but my mother didn't agree and I had to let them go. I was so sick though, my love for their cute little faces didn't matter and they went back to the wild!