Like all predators skunks are always looking for an opportunity to either scavenge or kill a chicken or some other food. I recently shared my thoughts on free range chickens, but I assume if you want to purchase guinea fowl it is mostly for their tick-eating tendencies. And chickens are no exception to what a skunk will kill or eat. Image credits – Skunk photos by Bryan Padron, and chickens by Sophie Mikat on Unsplash. They are usually nocturnal and have very poor eyesight. If skunks gain access to your coop, they will normally feed on the eggs and may hurt or kill your chickens. Guineas Love to Roam. And once they kill the chicken and the meat is there for them, the skunks will eat the chicken. That makes the defenseless and protein rich eggs in your chicken coop the perfect midnight treat for a skunk. Wear gloves and a mask! Although this may sound unpleasant to us, skunks are omnivores and so they are very versatile and adaptable when it comes to food. For the average homeowner, skunks are smelly but otherwise harmless creatures that will occasionally make their dens a little too close for comfort. It was a beautiful summer morning, but I didn’t notice as I donned my boots and headed to the coop. Eggs-Skunks love to eat eggs. Will they harm your flock if they can get access to them? I recommend doing so if you’re not already. The first is that they are about the same size as a domestic cat, so they’re able to squeeze through small holes, The second is that they aren’t that good at climbing, but they’re great at digging. Like raccoons, skunks … Skunks are more of an annoyance than a serious chicken predator. The foxes seem to visit once in a while to see if the restaurant is open, but skunks are like gypsies, taking over private property in destructive ways. If you happen to have pavers or wide, flat stones hanging around those will also do the trick. !Today, all of my chickens are in bed, and it's a dark cold night. If a chicken catches the smelly egg thief in the act, that’s when there are going to be some problems. However,  skunks also like to eat meat. Especially with this small black and white critter that is capable of spraying a foul-smelling liquid. If they can’t get in, they can’t steal eggs and attack your chickens. Ideally, you should dig your perimeter fencing into the ground a couple of feet as burrowing under is a skunk’s preferred method of entry. While the chickens themselves may be too large to eat they will certainly make short work of the egg and defenseless chicks and may even attack and maul the adult chickens. Make your homestead dreams come true! Copyright © 2021 | ChickenAndChicksInfo.com | As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. So they do feed on human garbage and trash. At sunrise, it will retire to it's den, which may be a ground burrow, beneath a building, or a rock pile. Happy Sunday!! After trapping a skunk, the smart step is to relocate it to a place that is more than 10 miles, up to 20 miles from your property. Skunks are mostly night time hunters, so a good outdoor dog would be your Roosters are protective over their hens, and rightly so! Skunks may not notice or care too much about your chickens until they notice an easy treat nearby. At What Age Can Baby Chicks Go Outside Full Time. They love chicken eggs and may fight a hen to get access to the eggs. Skunks are known to eat chickens, but they are more likely to eat the eggs. What is not cute about them, however, is the foul smell they’re famous for and their sharp, dangerous teeth that you’ll see if you ever get close enough to one. This doesn’t mean you need to actually hire a person to watch over your flock at night. Hens are protective over their eggs, and rightly so! Skunks are in the weasel family and can kill or harm a chicken even though they won’t eat one. Members of the crow family, including jays, are also known for eating eggs. A skunk attacking a full-grown chicken is rare but it does happen. If they gain access to the coop they will go after eggs first. Usually though, they stick to smaller prey because combat can be dangerous. It’s something you need to put a stop to as soon as possible. If a skunk has decided it wants to break into your coop or run, it will look for an easy entry point. Even if they can’t then get into the coop, having a skunk walking around and potentially spraying their foul smell is the last thing you want to be greeted with in the morning. There are a number of potential predators that would love to get their claws or teeth into chicken’s and their eggs. Skunks will eat meat if something else has killed it. Since skunks are nocturnal, it can be tough to tell how they are getting to chickens, chicks, or eggs. And those are a couple good reasons a skunk will only kill the chicken if it has to. This blog post from Predator Guard suggests applying cayenne near coops and runs to deter skunks. That means some of the links are affiliate links and if you buy through these links, I earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Skunks and opossums usually eat the chickens right where they’re attacked, and leave the bodies in the same place. Skunks, opossums, rats and other rodents can gain access through a very small hole and will eventually attack your chickens when they are roosting. If you do see a skunk around, you can always trap and release him somewhere far away from your coop. While you might find that the culprit is a skunk or other critter, it could just be that your chickens are stressed out. There have been incidents of skunks killing chickens though, so it’s something to be aware of. Because of their small size, chickens are weaker and vulnerable to skunk attacks. Skunks are notorious for busting into chicken coops and raiding it of everything they can eat. Skunks are nighttime scavengers. Not only that, but they can take out an entire coop overnight. Skunks, opossums and raccoons are other likely culprits. However, skunks also like to eat meat. Here are 7 things to protect your chickens from a skunk. Skunks are omnivores, they eat anything, but they take special likings to anything fleshy. If they are able to get in, which usually means digging under a fence, they will take advantage of anything they find inside. Skunks like to eat both plants insects, rodents, lizards,salamanders, frogs, snakes, birds,larvae, moles, berries, roots, leaves, grasses, fungi, nuts, honey bees, and chicken eggs. Skunks are opportunists and as such they do not stalk chickens. How Do You Keep Skunks Away From Chickens? Skunk traps are basically large cages, similar to what you’d use to catch a rodent. Any predators caught sneaking into a coop in the night is going to cause a ruckus. Animals like chickens have little to no defense against skunks. That means that with a watchful eye and some planning, you can stop end even prevent skunks from attacking your flock. Believe it or not, skunks will even eat chickens. Skunks can eat chickens, but they are not the main threat. If you have chicken friendly outdoor pets like horses, or dogs they might make perfect “bouncers” to keep predators out. If you already have a skunk attacking your chicken coop, you might need to start setting some live traps to relocate them. However, eating chickens is not a skunks first choice. And chickens are no exception to what a skunk will kill or eat. Skunks Eating Eggs And Chicks Because chickens are fairly large birds, not all skunks will choose to attack them directly, as the chicken also has claws and can cause some damage with their beaks too. Chickens. In addition they will eat all the chicken food left out if given the chance. It can even cause them to break and eat eggs themselves if they get a taste for the spilled eggs. Gaps in fencing should be less than 4” wide. Skunks, however, are much more interested in the chicken food in your coop and the eggs in your nest boxes. The only time that they are really going to go for a chicken is if they are immensely hungry, or if the chicken is putting up a fight. In addition, they will eat all the chicken food left out if given the chance. As well as providing light if you ever have to go out in the night.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'chickenandchicksinfo_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_13',108,'0','0']));eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'chickenandchicksinfo_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_14',108,'0','1'])); This might sound a bit drastic to some, but for some people I know catching a predator is the first thing to do. If the preemptive stripes don’t work, the skunk will then try to scare … North American minks eat only meat but are attracted by the smell of dead animals. Animals do not like creeping up under the cover of darkness, only to find themselves exposed in the middle of a well-lit area. If you notice that some eggs have gone missing or get crushed and eaten, don’t panic. It is best to remove all feed and empty the bowls before locking the chickens in the coop for the night. Take it from me – someone who has smelled a skunk – you don’t want these little guys hanging around your yard! Faint skunk odor. This will help to protect your chickens from not only minks but other predators by eliminating their hiding or perching spots. With that said, skunks are opportunistic eaters and will eat what they think they can safely overcome and kill. Well, at least I think they’re pretty cute. It’ll also help you see what’s going on from a distance. When Do Wyandotte Chickens Start Laying Eggs? Depending on where you live, there are a number of possible predators that can threaten your chickens and their eggs.eval(ez_write_tag([[320,50],'chickenandchicksinfo_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_2',118,'0','0']));eval(ez_write_tag([[320,50],'chickenandchicksinfo_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_3',118,'0','1'])); But what about skunks? Motion sensor lights are also a good deterrent against a few types of predators. Basically, the kinds of strong-smelling substances that offend most small animals with a good sense of smell might make them turn the other way. Key Signs: Dead chicks. Yes, skunks will eat chicken eggs. 13. Still, if you like trying home remedies, I suggest using a strong-smelling pepper like cayenne pepper or hot chili pepper. It can be an unpleasant and smelly job, but it is the best way to fix the problem once you have a skunk hanging around. Spraying their awful smelling liquid is one of the ways they defend themselves. While you don’t necessarily need an animal as large as a donkey to defend your birds, another animal that skunks and other predators would be intimidated by does help. They especially like newly raked or mowed hay fields where there is a smorgasbord of dismembered shakes on the menu. To … 3. They’ll steal eggs, or go straight for the chicken. Unless it’s a small bantam or a chick, that is. Which, if you’ve never smelled a skunks smell in person, I’m not sure if you’re fortunate, or if you’re missing out on knowing just how bad it is! This means chicken feed, table scraps, an open bin, and so on. Skunks are not aggressive for the most part, they are more of a scavenger and opportunist. If a skunk enters your coop, they have been known to attack and kill a chicken if they need to. Skunks can definitely be a problem given the chance, so I recommend taking some of the steps above if you know they’re present in your area. Weasel, mink or racoons are doing the deed. Collect your chicken eggs every day and change nest bedding if an egg has broken in it. This is a documented fact. Skunks often kill and eat young chickens along with any eggs, but they rarely kill or eat adult chickens. But owners of backyard chicken coops may have heard rumors that your friendly neighborhood skunk could start eating the chickens in your coop. When the skunks get the access to the coop, they can feed on the eggs and they may kill or hurt the chickens. Chickens do not need food overnight, and it’s good practice to secure any food to stop all kinds of scavengers. They will go after baby chickens and eggs, but rarely attack an adult bird. (Heat Lamp or Not?). Prevention. The pepper should be safe for your chickens too. We may not like the skunks smell, but skunks don’t like the way cayenne pepper smells. If large amounts of feed are spilling onto the ground, it might be enough to attract a skunk (not to mention other opportunists like mice, raccoons, etc.) Related content – why do chickens eat their own eggs? Raccoons will distribute the remains WHILE they eat chickens, leaving a trail that’s unpleasant to come across. According to the folks over at Total Wildlife Control, doing a headcount is the best way to ensure that no chicken gets left out. Which, I will add is great practice anyway for an all-around secure coop that’ll keep all kinds of predators at bay. The Hen's Loft is an Amazon Associate and is reader-supported. Here are some tips to help you deter skunks and increase the security on your coop: As I mentioned above, blocking access to their coop is your main priority. Skunks, opossums, rats, and other rodents can gain access through a very small hole and will eventually attack your chickens when they are roosting. Skunks Are Opportunists – Will Go For Eggs And Feed First. If the skunks are digging up your yard or garden, it's safe to assume that they're searching for grubs. If a chicken catches the smelly egg thief in the act, that’s when there are going to be some problems. Often, skunks will raid coops and cause a substantial amount of damage to farmers. Design by The Hen's Loft, How Long Can Chickens Go Without Water (How Much Do They Need?). Not to mention that they are going to spray their foul smell around in all the chaos. Garbage. Amongst other types of foods, skunks also feed on chickens. A lot of chickens will put up a fight to try and protect their eggs. So baiting with fish, meat, or chicken is your ideal option. Skunks love to eat many things, including insects, grubs, and berries. A skunk is little more than a mink or some other weasel with BAD body order. … They are opportunistic omnivores who will eat just about anything including your tasty trash, yummy compost piles and other such delicacies. Skunks aren’t that high up in the food chain when it comes to predators though. Havahart has a handy guide on how to trap skunks alive and release them, with tips to reduce the risk of getting sprayed. While this doesn’t stop skunks from getting into the coop or eating eggs, it does keep potential stragglers safe. Will they eat chicken? While skunks will eat chickens, they are much more likely to eat their chicken eggs. But if I have skunks setting up camp in my backyard and looking for whatever they can find to eat, it seems to me that skunks are more statistically likely to be eating MY chickens. We shut the poultry in at night but didn't get there in time last night I guess! As with opossum, skunks are more scavengers than hunters of chicken. Signs of skunk attack: feathers and footprints, obvious struggle, wounded chicken but surviving, missing or cracked eggs, skunk odor. According to Chicken Heaven on Earth keeping bedding clean also helps. The methods outlined above provide you with ways to prevent them from doing so. After all, the skunk are just after the same thing you probably are- some nice scrambled eggs. The smell of eggs attracts them. Oh, and be wary of a scared or panicked skunk. Take some extra time at the end of each day to make do a headcount, and do a walk along the perimeter of your run. They do a little warning dance. © 2020 All rights Reserved. Since skunks love to eat eggs and sometimes even young chickens, they're attracted to the scent of a dirty coop, so be sure to clean it out frequently. Primarily, their hunting skills extend to bugs, slugs beetles, small rodents and road kill – they are scavengers, part of Mother Natures’ clean-up crew. Phew, the skunk left. Find out what wants to eat your chickens, and how to prevent them. The question though, is that true? How To Keep Skunks Away From Chickens. It’s unlikely they will deliberately attack and kill a chicken. Skunks definitely pose a large threat to chickens, their chicks, and eggs. Since skunks are opportunists, they will eat chickens if they can easily get to them. Make sure that you are keeping a close eye on your flock. I had lost half my twenty bantam hens the day before even though I had my coop built like Fort Knox. Naw, skunks are in and out of my chicken pen all the time. How Cold Is Too Cold for Baby Chickens? Sometimes they’re even kind of cute. Especially as unattended garbage is also very welcoming to insects, rodents that skunks can also eat. It’s best to talk with your local authorities to find out if there are any local laws or procedures regarding trapping and releasing skunks. The Homestead Goal Planner will help you prioritize your life and your homestead goals so that you can make steady progress toward creating the homestead you’ve always dreamed of!. Skunks. Skunks eat garbage. It is best to remove all feed and empty the bowls before locking the chickens … He ate all the eggs but one. Tyler LeBlanc at Moder Farmer suggests a guard donkey. Along with snakes, small rodents, and some other small predators, they would happily feed on eggs and leave your chickens alone. Usually, when we think of skunks, it is as a relatively harmless mammal. They are nocturnal and will come out at night to find easy prey like small mammals, reptiles, and insects, and they also eat some vegetation. Holes or weak spots in fences and soft ground to dig through are the most likely place they’ll get in. As we learned before, skunks tend to go for the easier targets. Skunks are far more likely to eat eggs and small chicks. They will be attracted to an area by the smell of any form of food. Find out What Foxes Eat. If they go undetected, however, you might find the evidence of broken shells and spilled eggs in the morning.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'chickenandchicksinfo_com-leader-1','ezslot_7',107,'0','0']));eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'chickenandchicksinfo_com-leader-1','ezslot_8',107,'0','1'])); This can become distressing for chickens. Skunks love to eat many things, including insects, grubs, and berries. However, during the course of obtaining chicken eggs, the skunk may decapitate one or two chickens, and drink the blood. Most likely culprits are rats, snakes, or larger animals like opossums and skunks or birds. It’s up to you how you’re going to do this and depends on what type of coop you have. I kept going and thumping the side of the coop where he was and eventually he gave up on his day's nap. Young chickens and eggs are often the most defenseless and therefore the easiest meal. For this reason skunks will often show a preference for stealing the eggs of chickens rather than killing the birds themselves. The skunk may kill some few adult birds and when they kill the poultry, they may kill one or even two chicken and they are going to maul them in a considerable way. Also, strong citrus scents are supposed to be good deterrents. The reason that chickens are so tempting to skunks is their size and build. The folks over at Backyard Chickens suggest shoring up fencelines and burying hardware cloth around the perimter to stop skunks from burrowing through. Trim or clear away bushes close to your hen house. There are two main things you need to know about skunks if you’re going to make your coop skunk-proof; This means you’re going to need to secure any possible holes that can be used as entry points. Unfortunately, it may also mean that chicks and hatchlings are at risk too. They are more likely to harm or kill chicks or small chickens, and will almost certainly feed on eggs if they can get into their coop.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'chickenandchicksinfo_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_1',105,'0','0'])); Skunks are cute, furry little black and white animals.
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