Egg stealing skunk!

[Camelot Farms]

My boys heard all he$$ breking loose in the barn last night and when down to check it out. There on a hay bale stood a skunk grabbing duck eggs from a nest!

One of our ducks has been desperately trying to start a nest on this bale and never got more than one or 2 eggs in it and they would disappear. This has been going on for over a month.

I assumed the culprit was the neighbors dog and since we have fought and lost the battle over him keeping the beast chained, I have just been happy it was duck eggs and not chickens.

So...how do you get rid of a skunk with out getting 'skunked'?

 

[captdave2612]

Find a high point of view. Use a high velocity 22 LR, get him with a head shot and he won’t spray. But don’t miss or you will be in a stinky situation. I kill them all the time on the ranch where they have a nest under an old camp house.

 

[mmwb]

"get him with a head shot and he won’t spray"

Captdave may have better luck than most, but most of us find shooting a skunk (anywhere) leaves about a 50% chance of spray or no spray.

 

[Camelot Farms]

Ewww. Sounds like DH's best bet will be to catch him before he gets in the barn.

I dont think my pygmies would like to smell like skunk.

I am just glad the DS's didnt get sprayed when they found him.

I'd never get help in the barn again...lol

 

[TennesseeTruly]

Kim, Dillon was in the chicken run with the chickens today when he started hollaring so loudly you could have probably heard him at your place.

Hubby went outside to see what was wrong and there was a skunk in the barn, trying to get into the chicken run. Dillon was trapped in there and he was freaking out!!!

My wonderfully brave husband went in there with his walking stick and clobbered the sucker. It was only a baby. Not much more than 2 or 3 months old, I'd say. It did spray but missed Steven and hit a corner of the barn. It's pretty stinky in there and we went out and poured some bleach in the corner. It diluted most of the smell.

I've never seen them out during the daytime here. I've seen them at night but never during the day. This was 3pm.

Good luck with your skunk problem. YUCK!

Laurie

 

[Camelot Farms]

Thats what I heard Laurie? lol

If that skunk were a bit older, I would worry about rabies/disease as they arent usually out during the day. But yours sounds like a confused baby.

Glad hubby didnt get 'skunked'

PS...are you getting lots of eggs from the new girls?

 

[mmwb]

One of the more well accepted home remedies to deal with the spray is to mix:

1 qt hydrogen peroxide
1 box baking soda
1 tablespoon dish soap

Mix it up and use it. Throw away what you don't use as it won't keep. Don't try to seal it in a container as it will build up enough pressure to probably blow the container apart. If applying to animals or people, keep it out of the eyes. Don't swallow....