Stupid snake

[PaintedDreams]

Lost one of my best broody hens last night because she wouldn't leave her nest. Found her in a strange position in her nest this morning with no eggs under her. Took her to the vet this morning (I work there) to ask him why he thought she died. He said he was 100% sure that a snake swallowed her head and smothered her, then spit her out and stole the eggs. I have declared war on any snake I may find in my barn. I normally don't kill anything (not even spiders), but I am out to get the snake that killed my hen! My poor 8 year old child is so worried about her little banny hen that now we have her sleeping in the house. I went out and checked my coop about an hour ago and no sign of a snake...thank goodness!

 

[GoodLuckCharlie!]

Was he kidding? Is that seriously possible? Sorry to hear that

 

[navychick]

Try the minnow net snake trap mentioned on these boards. I bought 2 and have caught many snakes this summer.

 

[greenegglover]

I've heard weasels barely leave a mark and suck the blood out of them. Could this be a possilbilty?

 

[Kudzu]

I would find a new Vet.

 

[mulewagon]

Ignore the know-nothings - several people have posted about snakes killing their hens (with pics), and when all the eggs vanish at once without a trace, that's very likely to be a snake.

It will be a big one, to swallow a lot of eggs, and may not fit in a minnow trap. You can drape loose deer netting outside the run, if the chickens can't get into it.

You can keep the banty in a snake-proof cage at night - get a chicken cage and cover it with hardware cloth, tying it down with wire or sturdy zip-ties. I keep my youngest chicks and mamas in cages like that every night, since I lost three clutches of chicks, and many eggs, to a big snake. We killed the big one, but there's a smaller one still taking hatching eggs...

 

[7L Farm]

Quote:
I'm not a big fan of killing animals, reptiles until they invade my livestock. I know their just looking for food but if you don't stop them they will continue to haunt you.

 

[dufus]

''SNAKES!!! IT HAS TO BE SNAKES!!!'' them durned chicken snakes have given me the blues this year, i have killed 5 in my egg boxes. they have also gotten 2 of my yard raised peepers, the only way they can get in is my leaving the door open during the day, so the girls can go in and lay. now, every night when i put the hens up at night, i use a flashlight and a short stick and check the wheat straw in the boxes. that's how i found the last one,, after he had eaten one of my 3 week old peeps. chicks in at night, nothing can get in, peep gone without a trace in the morning,, there HAD to be a snake in there somewhere. a ruger bearcat .22 revolver and rat shot works wonders on that situation. eating my peeps is a capital offense.

 

[Desert Rooster]

Set a trap, put some eggs near as bait

 

[inohio]

You'll like this. I uncovered a nest of 24 black rat snake eggs today... after making sure they were not box turtle eggs, they were all laid out to bake in the sun. That's 24 that won't see the light of day! Now, if I could just find their momma.

For those who think a rat snake keeps down rodents, they only eat maybe once a week. My dog and cat takes out more rodents than any rat snake would.