Fur Farming for Profit, with Especial Reference to Skunk Raising

by Hermon Basil Laymon

Feeding.

Skunks should have plenty of food especially during the summer and they should be fed at regular intervals, giving just enough for a meal each time. It is advisable to give a mixed diet, partly animal and partly vegetable. They will eat almost all kinds of flesh and fish, table scraps, fruits, especially if very ripe, melons, sweet potatoes, berries, etc. One of the most satisfactory foods is bread and milk, but it is considered too expensive by some people. However, it should be given occasionally. They will eat carrion, but such food should not be given, for it is likely to cause disease. In the fall especially, when they are laying on fat for winter, they should have plenty of food. In winter they do not require so much. It is a lack of meat food that causes them to eat their young and one should feed well during the spring and autumn.

Skunks feed largely on insects, grubs, etc., and if they have range enough will supply themselves with the greater portion. They are fond of eggs, either fresh or spoiled, and should be given a feed of this kind occasionally if possible. They also have a fondness for poultry.

The matter of providing sufficient food is not as difficult as it would appear at first glance. If the farm is located near a large town, butchers, hotel and restaurant keepers will generally save table scraps, stale bread, etc., on request, if one will make a regular habit of calling for it. This is why it seems desirable to establish a skunkery close to or in a city. Even in the country the neighbors will help out. The farmers will be only too glad to have you take the dead stock, poultry, etc., thus saving them the time and labor of otherwise disposing of it.

As before stated, the Laymon Skunkery is an ideal farm. We have a large range of gully land through which runs a natural spring, and is covered with a dense underbrush. The skunk run wild here, male and female breeders after the regular rutting season is over. We feed them only once a day, at evening, and that mostly hominy hearts mixed with water and milk. Just now, June 23rd, they are as fat as prime porkers and in excellent condition. We are experimenting on cutting out all meat for at least five days each week. We maintain that 25c will cover the expense of raising a skunk to maturity. They are wild for mulberries and "roasting ears." Enjoy ripe apples and roots. Relish clover, and like cats get crazy over fish, and there is no doubt about them liking "cat meat," and the flesh of rabbits, fresh or tainted.

Breeding.

The mating season comes late in February and in March and the young animals make their appearance in May, the period of gestation being about nine weeks. The young are born hairless or furless, and remain blind from 4 to 5 weeks. The mother will wean her young at from 7 to 9 weeks of age. Care should be taken to note the symptoms, as when the young refuse to be weaned, the mother is likely to injure them. They are fully matured in six months, and their hides become prime and ready for market. They breed when a year old and live about 7 years.

After weaning the young should be allowed to run wild in a pen where there are other young animals. But not with the old males until such a time as they are able to protect themselves.

One male animal will easily serve eight or ten females and he should be left in their company a number of days. After that he should be removed and to make certain, another male should be installed for a few days. Two males should never be allowed in an inclosed pen with the females at one time or they will fight and one or both may be seriously injured. They seem to know enough to keep out of each other's way on the range.

We believe, however, that to allow the males and females to run wild (if the range is large enough) has a tendency to create larger litters. We believe that the females cohabit with more than one male at rutting time and that additional young are created at each service. We know that our litters are larger in number than is ordinarily supposed, ranging from six to ten, whereas when served by one as above, the litters averaged from four to eight.