Snake?

[Thorntonj108]

I went in the barn to put the chicks up for the night and found one of my 7 week old chicks like this. Her legs are straight back like her body was put in that position (I’m thinking a snake wrapping around her) and her neck looks as if she was trying to be swallowed but was too large so she was regergetated back up once getting to the wings.

Almost positive it’s a snake with how I found her body. However I am confused because I see these two tiny holes. I know venomous snakes don’t coil around their prey. Do they look like fang marks or possibly just feathers that were pulled out?

I’m not bothered by snakes, I am a previous snake owner of many. But if I’m dealing with a cotton mouth or a copper head I will be a little worried as I have 4 kids always going up to my barn. I could absolutely relocate a black snake or something similar to get it away from mr chicks. I looked everywhere in the barn and couldn’t find anything.

Just trying to see if this has happened to anyone else and if they found the culprit.

Thanks!

 

[nuthatched]

I'm sorry you lost a bird. How far apart are the marks? Can you tell if they're punctures? They certainly look like fang marks to me but I've never had a problem with snakes in my coop.

 

[Thorntonj108]

I'm sorry you lost a bird. How far apart are the marks? Can you tell if they're punctures? They certainly look like fang marks to me but I've never had a problem with snakes in my coop.

I tried to look but couldn’t really tell if there were punctures… I would say about a half inch apart

 

[nuthatched]

I tried to look but couldn’t really tell if there were punctures… I would say about a half inch apart

I'm trying to think if who's knowledgeable about snakes that I can tag.I wonder if a snake with a half inch span manage to a bird down that far, I know they can unhook their jaws but that's a large bird. Morbid curiosity would have me taking some pliers to those feather shafts to see if removing then gets a similar wound.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

I was kinda thinking it was just feathers that got pulled out.

 

[Thorntonj108]

I'm trying to think if who's knowledgeable about snakes that I can tag.I wonder if a snake with a half inch span manage to a bird down that far, I know they can unhook their jaws but that's a large bird. Morbid curiosity would have me taking some pliers to those feather shafts to see if removing then gets a similar wound.

Now I wish I would have… I’ve already gotten rid of her … But yes if you think of anyone please tag them!

 

[ashcons]

Looks like the bantam we lost to a snake.