Skunks living 30 feet from my coop !!

[dangerouschicken]

I was just about to suggest peeing, too

Most animals consider humans another animal (aren't we?

) and do not take to smelling the "territorial markings" of another.

I also know you can keep deer from eating your lawn by sprinkling cut hair on it. They hate the smell. Maybe the same with skunks and your henhouse? A stretch, but maybe.

Best thing is to make sure nothing can get into your henhouse or run. We use 1/4" hardware cloth so a skunk or raccoon cannot stick their hand into the run and pull off a chicken's head. If the Wildlife Rescue guy doesn't think that is possible, he surely hasn't been reading this board!

 

[Wraith]

Shoot it! Shoooooot it!

 

[DDRanch]

Haven't seen any skunks all day long, perhaps the mothballs have encouraged them to move. I will look this evening after dark.
Anne

 

[gamebirdsonly]

WHEN I WAS GROWING UP WE HAD SKUNKS DIGGGING UNDER ARE SHED, SO WE WOULD STICK A HOSE DOWN THE WHOLE AND TURN ON THE WATER AND WHEN THEY CAME OUT WE SHOT THEM. SKUNKS WILL EAT CHICKENS OR GAMEBIRDS, I'VE LOST MY SHARE OF BIRDS TO THEM. SO TRAP THEM AND SEND THEM TO SKUNK HEAVEN. IF YOU DON'T YOU''LL REGRET IT.

 

[DDRanch]

Tuesday morning update: Not a skunk in sight, yesterday, last night and this morning. I hope Momma and her young have moved on.
Anne

 

[Harley's girl]

Glad to hear she has moved on. 2 years ago we were losing hens right and left. We talked to our local game warden and he said we had permission to kill what ever was killing our livestock. So that night I stayed up and sure enough he comes a lager skunk headed to the coop. So we shoot it. The next night the same thing!! So we sent it to meet its maker. Well things were good for about 3 days and thats when it happened...........out of the hole comes 8 baby skunks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did not let my DH kill those they were simply too cute. I feed them some milk (I felt I should seeing how I killed their mama and daddy) we kept them outside and I feed for about 2 weeks. Once they learned how to spray we relocated them FAR FAR AWAY!!!!! I think skunks are very cute from a far away distance. (just like coons)
Here are a few pics of the cute little boogers.

 

[kees]

I guess one thing that could be tried in the future would be to block the entrance to the den with rocks. Any predator urine might be effective too but, man, have you ever smelled coyote urine? I tried it once and I could smell it through the bottle!

 

[DDRanch]

Oh my goodness, these are the cutest things. Thank you for posting the pictures.
anne

 

[gumpsgirl]

Those truly are adorable, Harley's girl!

What a story your little ones will have to tell their own children someday.

Those are the kind of memories that stay with you for ever!

Glad to hear that the mothballs worked Anne. What a relief, I am sure!

 

[mirime]

Harley's girl :

Here are a few pics of the cute little boogers.

Oh my goodness, sooo cute!​