Skunk...

[86121]

I have a skunk who keeps coming back.
It does not do anything to my coop, to my birds, or to the pen. But it keeps coming into my yard despite the dogs. Should I be worried?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Good question. Something for you to consider. How often do you go roaming around at night where you cannot see what you might bump into? Are you worried about maybe having to wash your dogs? About a year ago, my dogs killed a skunk right at the air conditioning unit and next to the doggie door that goes into the garage. I was not pleased!

Skunks are more opportunistic predators than some others. They will kill and eat chickens, but would probably be happier with the eggs. They will come around during the day. Don't believe any of this that if you see one during the day it must have rabies. That is just simply not true. Perfectly healthy skunks roam and feed during the daylight hours.

They also dig for grubs and such. Would it bother you to find small holes dug in your yard?

How much you have to worry about your chickens or eggs depends on how secure your coop and run is and whether you free range them or not. If they can get to your chickens or eggs, they are a threat. They are not as threatening to your chickens as a raccoon, but they can be a threat.

 

[86121]

Quote:
I am not worried about the dogs, the yard, or the running into them during the night.
I am mostly concerned that they "might" come into my yard and attempt to try and get at my birds. I didn't know if they would be trying or a threat to my hens.
I just dont want to let a possible problem grow up and get bigger if it can be nipped now

But if it sounds like the skunk wont be a problem, I have no problem just leaving it be

 

[animals1981]

dont be worried about ur birds just be worried about ur dogs the skunk might spray them lol keep them away fro mthe skunk


skunks are snake eaters

 

[86121]

Quote:
Ok, that makes me feel better

Thank you!

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
Ok, that makes me feel better

Thank you!

they are also lizard eaters and bug eaters and egg eaters and chick eaters as well

 

[Debbiesflocks]

Skunks are also chicken eaters. They seem to like eggs better but if there is no eggs to eat they will kill your chickens and eat them. I just had a skunk dig under my coop with 2 frizzle hens and a smooth feathered rooster. It killed both hens, left one dead in the coop and took the other hen. when he came back 2 nights later he was trapped and shot.

 

[mikensara]

if your dog does come into contact with the skunk make sure to update your dogs vacinations. think the likely hood of a skunk sticking around with dog is unlikely

 

[bobbi-j]

Skunks that come around our buildings die, but that's because around here, skunks are major carriers of rabies. We know a family that had to get rabies shots because an infected skunk tried to kill a litter of kittens and the mama cat got into a fight with it. The next day, there was a skunk walking around in circles in a shed, they killed it, had it tested for rabies and it was positive. They had to put down all of their cats and dog. The whole experience was pretty traumatic for them.

 

[bethinoklahoma]

skunk's cant climb I was told.... We moved our door higher up ...
Without the eggs so easy to get at he has never came back.