Wet/oily/slimy neck and head,body intact

[kpickering]

My sweet Ameraucana was found this morning dead in the coop. Her body was 100% intact with her head and neck appearing to be matted/wet or maybe oily/slimy with some white residue on it. Nothing was eaten. Do not see any clues of break into the coop at all, on the ground or in the walls. Rest of the chickens are fine. Not sure if this is a predator or a disease? New to chicken keeping.

 

[Griffinsong]

Sorry for your loss .

Sounds like a snake may have constricted her and tried to swallow her, but could not get past the shoulders and regurgitated her. A snake would only need a tiny opening to slip in through.

 

[kjanda]

agree w/ ^. Had a full grown guinea dead the same way and right next to it a 5 ft. chicken snake. I still have people say that it wasn't the snake but I've heard it happen to lots of folks, it's just usually chicks.

 

[kpickering]

Thanks all. It seemed like common sense to me because of the neck but just wanted to be sure I was on the right track. I have some work to do! Any tips on keeping snakes out of the coop?

 

[kjanda]

DE works for snails, slugs, and other crawling things but not sure about snakes. I'm sure I've seen powders and repellants of all kinds at the store but never tried em. I've got ceramic eggs and golf balls but the one I'm after keeps spitting them out. (Haven't had him get any chickens yet.) I get the eggs twice a day and bring my .40 with rat shot each time I check. He'll slip up sooner or later. Ironically one of the benefits of guineas is they kill snakes. Maybe others have ideas like cayenne pepper or something or have had luck with repellants.

 

[Triple Willow]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...to-deal-with-snake-problems/150#post_13514826