Several questions on raising chicks

[HappyHensFarmWV]

Oh and any snake will wreck havoc on your eggs and chicks..they are both favorites of blacksnakes.. your girls may also be thrown out of routine laying if one comes in and gives them a good scare..

 

[duckets]

Good Friday Afternoon That other guy,

Small black snakes can harm or even kill your chicks considering the chicks size, a snake can 'constrict' the life out of a younger bird while trying to swallow it. And even if the snake can't swallow the bird, the snake can still suffocate it trying, often chicks are found deceased and soaking wet from the head down.

1/2 inch hardware cloth will help keep them out of your run when it is complete, but for now you need to protect your smaller brood, even if you have to bring them onto your porch or inside the house. Most larger birds including ducks and other fowl, can discourage or kill most non venomous snakes.

The one I photographed last Friday was lucky our ducks didn't take interest in him;

 

[lazy gardener]

Did they take interest after you chopped him up with a shovel???

 

[HappyHensFarmWV]

Did they take interest after you chopped him up with a shovel???

X2
My other half will take them way up on the hill and release them..me, not so much..lol.. I could kiss my guineas every day for saving me from any snake scares this year. Now if they'd all just keep those wood spiders from sneaking in the house..

 

[lazy gardener]

Don't get me wrong! I love my snakes, but if I found something like that IN MY COOP, CHOWING DOWN ON MY CHICKS OR EGGS, I'd not do catch and release. I'd do catch and feed. The biggest drawback to having chickens IMO is the loss of snakes, frogs and toads from my property. But, they make up for it in bug control, as well as egg and meat production.

 

[HappyHensFarmWV]

I agree..the way I see it, I've got way too much blood, sweat and tears invested in my birds..that's not counting money or time..
I will have to fins and share the pic of the black snake one of my cats tried taking on (this was pre-chicken days) and we took it up in the woods..than fully it's not made it back bc it was big enough to eat all my guineas and still have room for a brooder of chicks or nest of eggs..think it measured 6'8"..
It would be great if all species could live together in peace, but unfortunately nature is pretty much against that..

 

[HappyHensFarmWV]

 

[HappyHensFarmWV]

And that cat weighs in at about 20lbs, he's a BIG boy..but he still backed down from mama snake..lol

 

[That other guy]

That thing is HUUUGGGEEE o.o. Kill it with fire, or a shovel both work. I hope I never have to deal with one that big around my chicks or we may be having trouble XD.

 

[That other guy]

So my chicks ate a cricket, well more chick than chicks, and they havent had grit yet (i think the stuff im using is non medicated Purina premium feed which i dont think has grit) should i be worried about it at all?