Arizona. It's our third home here and the first one we've had such a snake problem. Not sure why but the snakes were here before us. Long nose, night snakes, glossy snakes, bull snakes, coach whips, king snakes, garter snakes, thread snakes....and of course rattlesnakes. Think I've seen most of...
I clean my coops by flipping the dirt. I just use a shovel or pitchfork. The first year or so is a pita, but after that the dirt becomes soft and easy to work, and I at that point I find the work a pleasure.
Where I'm at it's hot and dry, our soils heavy clay, and all 8 of our coops/runs are...