Went to feed last night

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Davie

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Went out to feed last evening just before dark, opened the barn door and started to call the young hen to put them into the hen house and just happened to look into the aisleway and something did not look right around the hen's waterer. Looked again and was about to hollar at the birds to come on when one turned around and it was------

2 YOUNG SKUNKS----
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Backing out slowly, trying not to step on any of the pullets, or make any sudden noises. Got outside and picked up a stick and started to make noises as I walked back up to the barn--hoping that they would go out the other end of the barn that has a big gate across it---WELL NO!! NOT MY LUCK

They went towards the north end of the barn, HOPE they go out under the barn were I had water run under the barn wall the last rain we had----CAN"T GET THAT LUCKY

They went UNDER the false floor where I usually stack my hay. Well now that is a fine how do you do. Hay is coming in tomorrow.

Now I have to find a way to get 2 unwanted smelly critters out of the barn

PEEW
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I love PEPPY LUPUE but only in the cartoons---NOT in my barn
 
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No advice here either except to say I bet they are there to steal your eggs.They will steal eggs I surely wouldnt want them IN my barn. Good Luck!!!!
 
You might try opening up a couple of cans of cat food and trying to entice them out and then send them scurrying on their way after you plug up their escape hatch. Can't wait to hear all about the hay delivery tomorrow!
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Get a live animal trap, put a can of sardines, cover the trap with a tarp or sack, so once they are trapped you can walk up without them seeing you!! Then take them out and release them with a broom!! Can you tell I speak from experience!!
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I had a similar problem, although I was trying to catch racoons and kept getting a baby skunk!! They only spray when they are scared or feel threatened!! If you catch them then you can plug the holes and boot them out!!
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h2t99 has the right of it. When I worked at the water treatment plant we had to keep a live trap set all the time. Every day or two the animal control people had to come empty the trap. Get the stinky-est cat food you can find or sardines. As long as the cage is covered they won't spray, something about seeing what they are aiming at
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or thats what the guy told me. They are pretty.
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I hope the hay delivery goes good.
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Aw Heck...just get one of those Horn in a can from the sporting goods dept..use that close up
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.that should get them moving....mmmm....but then again...
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yep if you have a blanket or tarp over the live trap they are very unlikely to spray. I was told they will not spray if they are in an enclosed area because they dont' want to spray themselves (which makes sence... it's a potent and acidic spray which they spray backwards not on themselves). I've taken care of a few that way. I have to say it STILL makes me nervous that they might spray even with the cover but haven't had it happen yet thankfully!
 
O.K. guys, we can tell you how to get rid of the skunks. This worked for me. Take some old perfume or aftershave & spray or sprinkle it around where they are & they will leave. 2 yrs. ago, my dog got sprayed by one that was in with the chickens & while I was spraying it around that area, the skunk came out & ran right by me, out to the pasture & never saw him again. I like to crapped when he came out, but he did not even look at me. Try it & let us know. Good Luck
 
This morning at five, my friend and I were walking when our dogs started tugging on the leash...I looked over and yup, there is was a young skunk. We ran...then I had to tell my friend about your post. Can you imagine two women running down the street dragging their four dogs in retreat?
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I'm sure glad everyone was sleeping!
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OH, Stacey, how funny--visual this morning as I read this made me almost choke on my coffee, luckily I missed the keyboard.
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Have postpone the hay for a couple of days until I can get the critters vacated. It is sitting in my friends barn on the trailer.

Freeland, the 22 and flashlight would be great if I was a good enough shot.

I'm very careful about keeping all the eggs kept up as I don't want to attract SNAKES, which I'm more afraid of then the SKUNKS. Most of the hens in the barn are the young pullets that think the barn is the house, instead of the hen house out next to the barn. I also keep my young chicks in the barn in a hen hutch when they are first hatched until they get their feathers and can fly some.

It was really hot and humid and I think they came in to get a drink--don't really care, just want them GONE!!!

Thanks everyone for your suggestions and will try the trap, neighbor has one.
 
If you do get sprayed in the process, I found that Natures Miracle ( Petsmart sells it) douses the skunk smell. Our Jack Russell has been sprayed a couple of times, the most memorable being when he went into a culvert, and after a lot of snarling, rustling and banging around came out with a skunk in his mouth!!
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He slung it around until it was dead and then just practically grinned at us, look what I did LOL. Sheesh. He got doused from head to toe with Natures Miracle and 95% of the smell was gone instantly. They now make a product specifically for skunk odor removal but this was the basic stuff and it sure did the job.

Jan
 
Stinky cat food. Yep!
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Anyone else seen that YouTube video of a young girl playing with her pet skunk baby?
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Leia
 
I have been told by a wildlife rehabilitator that skunks and animals in that family cannot stand vinegar. If you spray some on one end of the area, it should make them flee from the other end, as well as the smell prevents them from coming back.
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Oh crud- THEY EAT CHICKENS!!!!! Not to mention being huge rabies carriers! And smelly!
 
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Coons & Skunks do not like "Moth Balls"... Throw some of them out & they will be gone. But please check to see 1st if it will effect your other animals. Used to have a pet skunk as a kid. It was great as it was up all night. Like snakes, the little ones can deal you problems as well as the large ones. A friend tried to play with a few babies under six weeks old & sat by his
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self for quite awhile in school.
 
We have a skunk in our barn! I love her! haha Might sound weird, but she has been coming through for about a year and a half now. Well, we call her a she.... we named her Loraine. She will eat the grain I spill, and sometimes she goes after bugs. We were scared of her at first, but she has never offered to spray and we think she is kinda cool. Everytime it is stormy, you can be sure she will be in the barn in one of our empty stalls. We respect her and give her distance, and she just waltz down the aile of the barn. haha....maybe we are weird, but I think she is kind of cute, and we dont have any chickens or anything for them to kill.
 
Chocolate Ex-lax. Guaranteed to work. I had skunks in my barn, put that out and I've never (knock on wood) had any since. They love the chocolate, but not what it does to them. Doesn't harm them, just makes them move on to greener pastures.
 

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