To the backyard chicken-keeper, skunks are pests, disease-carriers, feed-thieves and killers. As we all know, they also boast a unique defense mechanism that has the ability to continue to offend its victims for days or weeks: the stink factor. 
My neighbor, “Miss Sarah,” as my daughters call her, has a beautiful Akbash farm dog named Peanut, who recently had the misfortune of meeting the south-bound end of a north-bound skunk- face first.The mention of this skunk encounter on my Facebook page prompted the sharing of a ‘recipe’ for a de-skunking solution by Shelly Wade. Several others, including seasoned dog groomers, vouched for its effectiveness and contributed tips that I now invite you to keep handy in the event you should ever need it.
De-Skunking Shampoo
1 quart hydrogen peroxide
1 Tablespoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon Blue Dawn dish detergent
2 quarts warm water.
Mix all ingredients well. Work the solution into the pet’s fur, hair, skin, feathers, whatever, thoroughly for at least five minutes. Rinse thoroughly with water. Repeat if necessary. Follow-up with De-Skunking Rinse.
De-Skunking Rinse
Mix a solution of 9 parts water to 1 part white vinegar. Rinse the pet with this solution. Do NOT rinse.
NOTE: Shampoo should be mixed prior to each use, never mixed and stored. Shampoo is drying to the skin. May require follow-up with a leave-in conditioner. May bleach fur or feathers.
Kathy Shea Mormino
Affectionately known internationally as The Chicken Chick®, Kathy Shea Mormino shares a fun-loving, informative style to raising backyard chickens. …Read on
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To the backyard chicken-keeper, skunks are pests, disease-carriers, feed-thieves and killers. As we all know, they also boast a unique defense mechanism that has the ability to continue to offend its victims for days or weeks: the stink factor.
My neighbor, “Miss Sarah,” as my daughters call her, has a beautiful Akbash farm dog named Peanut, who recently had the misfortune of meeting the south-bound end of a north-bound skunk- face first.The mention of this skunk encounter on my Facebook page prompted the sharing of a ‘recipe’ for a de-skunking solution by Shelly Wade. Several others, including seasoned dog groomers, vouched for its effectiveness and contributed tips that I now invite you to keep handy in the event you should ever need it.
De-Skunking Shampoo
1 quart hydrogen peroxide
1 Tablespoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon Blue Dawn dish detergent
2 quarts warm water.
Mix all ingredients well. Work the solution into the pet’s fur, hair, skin, feathers, whatever, thoroughly for at least five minutes. Rinse thoroughly with water. Repeat if necessary. Follow-up with De-Skunking Rinse.
De-Skunking Rinse
Mix a solution of 9 parts water to 1 part white vinegar. Rinse the pet with this solution. Do NOT rinse.
NOTE: Shampoo should be mixed prior to each use, never mixed and stored. Shampoo is drying to the skin. May require follow-up with a leave-in conditioner. May bleach fur or feathers.
Used this mix on my dog several years ago (recommended by our vet). It really does work but unfortunately for our black haired dog, the peroxide will bleach. Fixed the scent problem but left him with a funky dye job. Amusing to me but I think he was a bit embarrassed
Noctournal predators can certainly break the rules if they're hungry enough. Yikes.
Hi Kathy: We so enjoy your chicken blog/web site as we have a new flock of six hens and two roosters. A few nights ago I noticed a HUGE skunk slinking along our chicken fence. Luckily, our guys and gals were long since locked up in their coops for the night. I wonder if you have ever heard of a skunk attacking a chicken during the daytime, or are they more nocturnal? This guy was so big, I don't know if my New Hampshire Red rooster could even take him down. We have been lucky so far with no predator… Read more »
I will for sure try this, as m y son has chickens and once in a while we get a visit from a skunk. I love your page thanks Jan T
We used this same mix when our dog got sprayed several times over the spring & summer one year. It worked well, I didn't know about the De-Skinking Rinse so if it happens again we will have to try that too