Skunks do kill chickens...

[tlb]

Hi, all. This is my first post. Was fixing my cup of coffee this AM and I heard my RIRs making a fuss. Went outside with a flashlight and saw 2 large skunks inside our portable coop. Three of our hens looked dead, and one looked OK. I was able to open the coop door and let the skunks out w/o getting sprayed. Once they left, I realized one of the hens I thought was dead was only wounded. So, two dead half eaten hens, one wounded and one OK.

So, my question to you all is what can I do to keep the skunks out? I live in San Antonio, TX, in a neighborhood, so I can't shoot the skunks.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[arlee453]

First, figure out how they got in?? What type of wire are you using? Make sure you have good hooks/latches on your doors...

Can you post a pic of your setup? That might help get some good suggestions?

 

[lost]

Buy a trap they run around 20-40 $ or so depends on how big they are

 

[tlb]

Thanks for the info.

The skunks dug under the fence. The coop design is a two story, A frame, portable design...eight feet long by five feet wide, and five feet high. The bottom is chicken wired, but the skunks did not go through the wire...but under the 2 X 2s that hold the wire.

We have skunks all over our neighborhood, but I did not think skunks would eat live chickens. Guess I should have known better.

 

[lost]

I have lived here four 5yrs. And the other night I smelled one and I was wondering about if they would eat one. Guesse i need to set my trap back up

 

[AllChookUp]

Welcome, tlb!

In order to keep predators such as skunks, coons, etc., out you need to go to extreme lengths to construct your coop and run. Hardware cloth, not chicken wire, is the best deterrent. Also, you need to bury the hardware cloth down a minimum of 12-15 inches under the ground around the perimeter. Completely enclosing the coop and run with hardware cloth on the sides and top is recommended.

 

[krackerhill]

I had a skunk in my yard last fall and decided to "humanely" trap it. The have a heart trap worked great. I never however put much thought into what to do with a trapped live skunk. I also never thought about how bad that side of my home would smell in the a.m. My neighborhood has a bunch of good ole boys so the sound of one shot of a .22 is not unheard of. Good luck with Pepe Le Pew.

 

[tlb]

Guess I'll just have to build a fortress to keep the skunks out.

Thanks, everyone, for your help.

Hopefully any future posts of mine will deal w/ happier topics.

 

[Richard3707]

A live trap works rather well , as I put the dead chicken in the live trap and caught a live skunk that night.To dispose call animal ,control or shoot it.I shot my fat skunk after it killed 2 chickens.

 

[thill808]

I found my guinea yesterday, put out a live trap last night. Skunk was the culprit. I will leave the trap out until I can get rid of the whole family or at least as many as I can catch. I had no idea a skunk would kill a guniea/chicken. Never even crossed my mind.