Pine snake, anybody?

[pinebarrens]

We discovered a roughly 5 foot long snake in our yard today -- or actually, our chickens discovered it and were following the thing. Our flock seems to be worryingly adventurous.

We believe it was a pine snake. My husband got a long stick and sort of harassed it out of our yard and into the woods again in hopes it will just keep on moving. I called the park service and the people there seemed to think it wasn't likely to cause us any trouble. They said that it would be happy to eat eggs or chicks, but our adult birds probably weren't in much danger from it even though they obviously aren't smart enough to keep their distance.

Now I'm sure a snake that big COULD harm a grown chicken, but I'm wondering how common it is, in the experience of people here, for this kind of snake. I'm pretty certain our coop is secure, but our birds spend a lot of the day ranging the yard, which is large and wooded. Also I'm worried it will, say, come back and try to move in underneath our shed or something, and while I don't bear it any ill will, I also don't want to be running into it on the regular.

So, anybody know much about pine snakes?

 

[bobbi-j]

I know nothing about pine snakes, but I had a funny picture in my head when I read about your chickens following it. They were probably wondering where that giant worm came from, and how they were going to catch and eat it!

 

[Tumbling K]

they seem to be very rare in your part of the world. lucky to have seen one, since it seems they spend most of their time burrowing.

a pine snake in NJ, means you live close or in the Pine Barrens.......a pretty unique place and climate for sure........

 

[pinebarrens]

I know nothing about pine snakes, but I had a funny picture in my head when I read about your chickens following it. They were probably wondering where that giant worm came from, and how they were going to catch and eat it!

Yeah I think that's about right. They probably thought they'd hit the jackpot.

they seem to be very rare in your part of the world. lucky to have seen one, since it seems they spend most of their time burrowing.

a pine snake in NJ, means you live close or in the Pine Barrens.......a pretty unique place and climate for sure........

Yes, we're smack in the middle of the pine barrens, in the very lowest population density area of NJ. We love it here. When I was telling the park services guy about the snake, I said 5 feet long and he replied, "Oh, it's just a baby, they can get up to 8 feet." Eeek.

 

[carlf]

Most of our snakes are not a Threat to grown hens. Peeps, yes. Some eat eggs.
but most snakes will only strike a bird that big to protect itself.
It's more interest in rodents it can swallow.

 

[drumstick diva]

I'm with you, I don't even care to call 'those things' by their rightful name. Anything that causes so much screaming (mine) cannot be good. I would do whatever I could to keep it from making a home near your birds.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

We discovered a roughly 5 foot long snake in our yard today -- or actually, our chickens discovered it and were following the thing.  Our flock seems to be worryingly adventurous. 

We believe it was a pine snake.  My husband got a long stick and sort of harassed it out of our yard and into the woods again in hopes it will just keep on moving.  I called the park service and the people there seemed to think it wasn't likely to cause us any trouble.  They said that it would be happy to eat eggs or chicks, but our adult birds probably weren't in much danger from it even though they obviously aren't smart enough to keep their distance.

Now I'm sure a snake that big COULD harm a grown chicken, but I'm wondering how common it is, in the experience of people here, for this kind of snake.  I'm pretty certain our coop is secure, but our birds spend a lot of the day ranging the yard, which is large and wooded.  Also I'm worried it will, say, come back and try to move in underneath our shed or something, and while I don't bear it any ill will, I also don't want to be running into it on the regular.

So, anybody know much about pine snakes?

Not sure about Pine Snakes...but BullSnakes...

I have had Bull Snakes kill a hen setting on eggs...and then eat the eggs. Other than that, probably not going to mess with a mature hen.

 

[pinebarrens]

Not sure about Pine Snakes...but BullSnakes...



I have had Bull Snakes kill a hen setting on eggs...and then eat the eggs. Other than that, probably not going to mess with a mature hen.

Yikes, now you're just trying to scare us

If I ever found one of these dudes in my nest boxes, I'm not sure if I would ever get over it.