Skunks are known to be scavengers and also predators of things like slugs or worms. They have small mouths, poor eyesight and clumsy feet. They are blamed for many things that they do not do. Skunks are known to eat eggs and they can also kill baby chicks. However, when you lose an adult chicken, then you should think about raccoons more than anything else. However, the skunks are opportunists and they can eat the chickens and pheasants that they can kill easily or more conveniently.



You will not be happy when you wake up and go to get the eggs only to find that the young chicks and the eggs are all gone and they have been eaten or destroyed by skunks. Since the skunks go out in the night, it is hard to catch them in the act of raiding the chickens. However, contrary to the raccoons, the skunks will not climb fencing and they will choose to dig under the fence in order to get the eggs of the chickens or their chicks.

To keep the skunk out, you will need chicken wire, a shovel and gloves. The chicken wire should be at least 3 feet tall and it has to be put around the entire chicken coop. The bottom of the chicken wire should be at least 2 feet underground in order to discourage the skunks from digging under wire fencing. You can bend the bottom 6 inches of the chicken wire out or away from the direction of a coop before you bury it underground. You have to discourage a skunk from trying to dig under a fence.

Skunks have a squat body shape and they have long digging claws that have lead scientists to think that skunks are in the weasel family.

Skunks are adaptable and they can eat anything they get their hands on, and this makes it easy for them to thrive in any environment. They will prefer the areas where the habitat meets their needs like a forest and marsh because it offers a wider range of food choice. When given the choice, the skunk can eat insects. The skunks are useful in controlling the nuisance insect populations such as hornets, wasps and bees. They have learned to shadow humans and live off their trash. Grubs or pet foods that are found on lawns have increased the need of skunk control services for some time now.

Since skunks are known as the carriers of rabies, you have to be careful when it comes to being near them or a chicken that has been killed by the skunks. However, the rabies will be transmitted to you through the saliva only. The skunks are not animals that will turn to biting always because it is not their first line of defense. They defend themselves through spraying the attacker.

Go back to the Skunk Removal home page or email us for more info about Do skunks attack chickens?