If there’s one animal you do NOT want to hang around your backyard or garden is a stinky skunk.
Even worse, you especially don’t want a skunk invading your chicken coop and making it their home.
Not only do they eat the eggs, but they can also attack the chicks and the chickens as well.
So, how to get skunks out of your chicken coop?
If you have skunks as uninvited guests in the chicken enclosure, your first priority should be to save your flock.
Here are three humane steps to deal with these smelly pests:
- Relocate your chickens immediately.
- Leave only one entry point open.
- Draw out the skunk(s) with repellents and scare tactics.
They may be troublesome pests but avoid taking any lethal measures against skunks. You may be dealing with a mother skunk with her kits, looking for food and shelter. So work accordingly!
With skunks moving into your chicken’s home, you’ll have to evict the critters to ensure the well-being of your flock. Let’s find out how you can do just that!
3 Steps To Drive Out the Skunks From Your Chicken Coop
The problem with skunks taking over your pen is life-threatening for the birds and can lead to a lot of damage to the coop.
This is especially true due to the foul odor of the skunks!
Here are 3 sure ways you can drive out the skunks without harming them:
1. Relocate Your Chickens Immediately
If you have a rooster, chances are it’ll sound the alarm as soon as it spots the skunk entering the coop.
The chickens may follow its lead and start making a racket as well.
The moment you hear all this, you must act immediately and run to your chicken’s rescue.
If the skunk has entered the pen and is inside, you need to open the gate to let all the chickens escape. The skunk will most probably be too busy eating the eggs.
Be careful; the skunk’s spray is highly flammable, so make sure not to bring any flame or lighter close to the sprayed area.
Shut the cage and guide your flock to another safe location for the time being. This way, you’ll be able to take on the skunk without worrying about the chickens.
2. Leave Only One Entry Point Open
It’s important to find out how the skunk got inside the coop. This is where you need to find the entry point. The skunk may have entered by cutting the chicken wire mesh or digging under the fence.
Once you have found the point of entry, you need to keep it open, so the skunk has an escape route it knows about.
In addition, block all other exit/entry spots, so there’s only one way for the skunk to leave.
Now let’s move on to the final step of getting the skunk out!
3. Draw Out the Skunk With Repellents and Scare Tactics
Skunks are scared easily, especially by big scary humans making loud noises and flashing big shiny lights.
Because they’re nocturnal pests, skunks can be frightened away if you light up the coop.
If the skunk is still too scared to come out, you can use loud noises from the radio or a loudspeaker.
Playing predator sounds of wolves, coyotes, cougars, and dogs will force the skunk to run out from the same spot it came in.
A skunk’s anal gland can spray at targets up to 10 feet away. So make sure you’re not near the skunk’s entry/exit point!
Give Them a Taste of Their Own Medicine
Believe it or not, skunks hate strong, pungent smells.
Soak some rags in ammonia or make a cayenne chili pepper spray to make the coops uninhabitable for the skunks.
Throw in the soaked rags where the skunk is making its final stand, and let the strong odor drive the stinky critter out!
How To Keep Your Chicken Coop Skunk-Free
Hopefully, the above-mentioned methods have driven the skunk off your property, and now, you’d want to keep it that way. Here’s how you can do that:
- Put up strong gauge chicken wires under and above the ground.
- Use motion sensor predator-eye lights to scare off the stinkers.
- Spray skunk-repelling odors around your pen.
- Place some catch-and-release traps near the coop.
- Keep the chicken’s home and surroundings clean to avoid attracting skunks.
Because skunks carry viral diseases and rabies, keeping them at bay is paramount for a healthy and prosperous flock of chickens.
After all, they’re providing you with high-quality protein-rich eggs and maybe some meat every now and then, so it’s your duty to keep them safe!
Skunks are excellent snake hunters, immune to poison, and can even take on the menacing rattlesnake!
Takeaway
If you live in an area frequented by skunks, the better option would be to take preventive measures, so you don’t have to deal with a skunk invasion.
But if the skunks have moved into your coop, here are three humane and simple steps to get them out:
- Relocate your chickens immediately.
- Leave only one entry point open.
- Draw out the skunk with repellents and scare tactics.
Remember, if you’re unsure or have never dealt with skunks, it would be best to call professional help to take care of them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Skunks Hurt Chickens?
Even though skunks prefer to go after the eggs first, they may attack the chicks and the bigger birds if feeling threatened.
How Do You Remove the Skunk Smell From the Coop?
You can wash the area with a solution by mixing liquid dishwasher soap, baking soda, and hydrogen peroxide.
