Skunks are politically incorrect to Chickens.
Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 12:58 pm
Think Indiana Jones on top of the "Well of Souls" scene when they pry off the big lid,
Skunks...Why did it have to be Skunks???. ( and Racoons, and maybe Opossoms ).
I'm not sure if this goes here or in the "off topic " area, but here are my two cents worth.
I have been doing a little research on the subject. I have surfed threds and posts on sites that cover: gardening, farming, ag, hunting, pets, amimal, trappers, animal rights, news stories, poultry owners, pest control, property damage, disease, wild game bird damage, etc. I have downloaded rabies studies from university and gov groups ( US and Canada ). Wiki acticles on poisons/chemicals. And here are some soultions:
Political Correct Police Warning: I waded through a fire strom of angry posts from people that love critters of all kinds. Whoa! people sure get fired up about this one. Some love to eat them, Some love to keep them. I don't want to upset anybody or get in to the, Kill Trap vs Live Trap, Shoot vs Relocate, Posion them vs Take away the food source and they go away, Buy more fencing vs Keep the dogs in at night. Tomato juice vs Baking soda and Hyd Preoxide for smell. Rabies shots vs foming at the mouth and biting people. They are only doing what nature tells them to do, or, its ok for you to eat chicken but not for a skunk to dine on them? Accidental pet/kid posioning. Seconary Posioning ( Eagle ate dead Racoon) Ohhhh boy! The best post I found was the guy that said his chickens deserve to be protected, just like his kids and his dogs. So you decide.
I didn't invent these, just passing them on. I know each one of these has limited results, or will be an epic fail. Its just a list. Relax.
1)LIve trap.
2)Kill trap.
3)Dogs.
4) Fence.
5) Radio ( talk radio, not music).
6) Ammonia soaked rags.
7) Moth Balls.
#8) Cover dens/dig holes.
9) Nails pelts to wall (scent)
10). Leave dead one near pen (scent)
11) Proof your pen/barn/coop.
12) Relocate/Shoo them away.
13) Urine (scent). (from fox, one guy said)
14) Electirc Current/Zappers.
15) Posion*** ( see note at the end of this).
16) Shoot em' ( Lead posion )
17) Drown trap.
18) Whack em'.
19) Road Kill em'.
20) Catch them by the tail. ( yes, people do this )
21) Cyanide or Sodium Nitrate smoke bombs in their den.
22) Car exhaust.
23) Move to another home.
24) Let them be.
25) Park a IH Cub next to their den. (they don't like red)
26) Bright lights.
27) Sonic noise blasters.
28) Feed them well so they don't go after your Chickens.
29) Catch, descent at the vet, release.
30) Put a one gallon milk jug with it half full of water in your yard to keep them away. ( from the neighborhood crazy lady ).
31) Sterilize,Spay/Neuter them at the vet. ( Thanks for the tip Bob Barker )
32) Turn them in to pets.
33) Get rid of your Chikens.
34) Give them as gifts.
On Relocating/Live trap: Some states/countries/cites require a permit, proffesional service only, or gov agency to relocate skunks. Some do not. Some forbid it completley. Check it out first.
On Kill trap: Some areas require a trappers lic, or hunting lic. Some places have a season ( just like deer). Others don't allow it at all.
On Posions: There are no Gov approved methods of posioning Skunks. Using Chemicals/Poisons "off label" can get you in legal trouble. Secondary posioning (pets, wildlife eating carcass), Accidental posioning (pets,kids). Funney how the Gov. is allowed to do it when they want to
One person posted that they had killed 18 skunks in one month. the guy used to kill them. The reply came from an angry lady that said he could be fined $10K per skunk and 3 years for each one ( thats $180K and 54 years in jail )and openly invited a "Fish and Game Warden" person to prosecute the person making the post. I have a long list, but won't post it.
Good Luck.
PS: A mature skunk can weigh 10 pounds. Measuring 30 inches from nose to tail, with an additional 7 inches of plumed tail, a skunk mates in February or March. About 50 days later, a litter of four to 10 naked and blind skunks is born. Nursing lasts six to seven weeks, after which the male rejoins the family, usually in July.
Skunks...Why did it have to be Skunks???. ( and Racoons, and maybe Opossoms ).
I'm not sure if this goes here or in the "off topic " area, but here are my two cents worth.
I have been doing a little research on the subject. I have surfed threds and posts on sites that cover: gardening, farming, ag, hunting, pets, amimal, trappers, animal rights, news stories, poultry owners, pest control, property damage, disease, wild game bird damage, etc. I have downloaded rabies studies from university and gov groups ( US and Canada ). Wiki acticles on poisons/chemicals. And here are some soultions:
Political Correct Police Warning: I waded through a fire strom of angry posts from people that love critters of all kinds. Whoa! people sure get fired up about this one. Some love to eat them, Some love to keep them. I don't want to upset anybody or get in to the, Kill Trap vs Live Trap, Shoot vs Relocate, Posion them vs Take away the food source and they go away, Buy more fencing vs Keep the dogs in at night. Tomato juice vs Baking soda and Hyd Preoxide for smell. Rabies shots vs foming at the mouth and biting people. They are only doing what nature tells them to do, or, its ok for you to eat chicken but not for a skunk to dine on them? Accidental pet/kid posioning. Seconary Posioning ( Eagle ate dead Racoon) Ohhhh boy! The best post I found was the guy that said his chickens deserve to be protected, just like his kids and his dogs. So you decide.
I didn't invent these, just passing them on. I know each one of these has limited results, or will be an epic fail. Its just a list. Relax.
1)LIve trap.
2)Kill trap.
3)Dogs.
4) Fence.
5) Radio ( talk radio, not music).
6) Ammonia soaked rags.
7) Moth Balls.
#8) Cover dens/dig holes.
9) Nails pelts to wall (scent)
10). Leave dead one near pen (scent)
11) Proof your pen/barn/coop.
12) Relocate/Shoo them away.
13) Urine (scent). (from fox, one guy said)
14) Electirc Current/Zappers.
15) Posion*** ( see note at the end of this).
16) Shoot em' ( Lead posion )
17) Drown trap.
18) Whack em'.
19) Road Kill em'.
20) Catch them by the tail. ( yes, people do this )
21) Cyanide or Sodium Nitrate smoke bombs in their den.
22) Car exhaust.
23) Move to another home.
24) Let them be.
25) Park a IH Cub next to their den. (they don't like red)
26) Bright lights.
27) Sonic noise blasters.
28) Feed them well so they don't go after your Chickens.
29) Catch, descent at the vet, release.
30) Put a one gallon milk jug with it half full of water in your yard to keep them away. ( from the neighborhood crazy lady ).
31) Sterilize,Spay/Neuter them at the vet. ( Thanks for the tip Bob Barker )
32) Turn them in to pets.
33) Get rid of your Chikens.
34) Give them as gifts.
On Relocating/Live trap: Some states/countries/cites require a permit, proffesional service only, or gov agency to relocate skunks. Some do not. Some forbid it completley. Check it out first.
On Kill trap: Some areas require a trappers lic, or hunting lic. Some places have a season ( just like deer). Others don't allow it at all.
On Posions: There are no Gov approved methods of posioning Skunks. Using Chemicals/Poisons "off label" can get you in legal trouble. Secondary posioning (pets, wildlife eating carcass), Accidental posioning (pets,kids). Funney how the Gov. is allowed to do it when they want to
One person posted that they had killed 18 skunks in one month. the guy used to kill them. The reply came from an angry lady that said he could be fined $10K per skunk and 3 years for each one ( thats $180K and 54 years in jail )and openly invited a "Fish and Game Warden" person to prosecute the person making the post. I have a long list, but won't post it.
Good Luck.
PS: A mature skunk can weigh 10 pounds. Measuring 30 inches from nose to tail, with an additional 7 inches of plumed tail, a skunk mates in February or March. About 50 days later, a litter of four to 10 naked and blind skunks is born. Nursing lasts six to seven weeks, after which the male rejoins the family, usually in July.