3rd snake this year

[featherfooted]

Last night my DS removed the 3rd black rat snake from the coop this year. This is the first year that we've had a problem with snakes in the coop. This one was 4' long and had been eating the eggs under one of my broody hens. When I went out to put the girls up tonight about 8:30, I was talking to My DD on the phone and not really paying much attention to everything. When I tried to close the door on the broody nest box and it would not go up all the way. I looked down and there was about 6” of snake tail in the way.

Needless to say I screamed and jumped back. My DH went to get my DS, in the meantime I’m watching this snake crawl inside the nest box with the hens and Ruth, my broody barred rock, go crazy pecking at the snake and then flys out of the pen screaming. The snake falls out of the nest box on to the floor and somehow gets behind the nest box with only it's back showing. DS shows up with DH’s gripper, he had back surgery in March, and between both of us (mostly DS) get the snake out. The next problem is that He has a grip on the snake about half way down and the thing doesn’t want to get in the bucket. DS finally got it in the bucket with the lid on tight.

All this time the rain is pouring down and I still have to get the ducks up. My broody silkie, Biscuit, that was in the nest next to Ruth, sat there the whole time as if nothing was going on. Got to love Silkies with their broodiness. This snake is a 4’ long black rat snake. We took it to the 66 station several miles away, which is closed and backs up to alot of woods, and turned it loose in pouring rain. We both were soaked. If it comes back it’s a goner!

This has been one hell of a day. Earlier in the day a good friend of mine lost her husband to cancer. That was why I was so late putting the girls up.

 

[CMV]

Sorry for your awful day.

My condolences.

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

Last year we killed at least a dozen different snakes. All large snakes, they must have eaten the young and smaller snakes. Sorry, but I do believe that if you release them, they find their way back.

This year I have found 1 dead smaller snake. Guess the chicken or ducks didn't have time to eat it before I sent everyone back to their runs for the evening. When I was walking back to the house I saw it. The other was hiding from my ducks under the 4x4 pen that I keep for an extra pen. It slithered as fast as it could when I moved the pen, got away from them that time. I trust either the hens or ducks to get it if it hangs around. We have poisonous snakes around here, so I watch closely all the time.

Seems like you need some large fowl chickens or big ducks to eat the snakes.

Oh, last year the snakes were to big for my girls. So they chased them into the netting I had around and over my raised garden beds. DH was constantly pulling snakes out of those nets.

I have chickens to protect me. I have actually seen them do it. A big snake was heading for me, they headed it off, turned it and headed it to the netting. Wish I had had a camers. I love my personal security chickens. Oh watch the nest boxes to. Last year found one wrapped around an EE's egg. Guess it wanted to hatch it, cause it wasn't trying to eat it.

Be careful out there.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

So far this year I have had 5 snakes....3 were in the hen house at one time,,..I had just gotten the eggs up from the bantams about 1 hr. prior to it..then last week I had a black snake taking eggs from my bantam hens, just before they were due to hatch..I did manage to get 6 babies so far from them though..and one copper head crawling through the rose bed to my leg..shot gun stopped him first Thank God.

 

[SunshineSilkies]

This year is the first time I have ever seen a snake in the pens. It just about caused me to pee my pants because I didn't realize what it was till I was right up on it. Rat snake...I know they are good for killing mice, but I had my DH "move" it..I didn't want to have to worry about seeing it everytime I went into the pens..

 

[SilkiesAndSuch]

Ugh, so glad I never have had a problem with snakes. Now that I have said that, two are going to be in my birds' pen tomorrow....Sorry about your day

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

Quote:
For your sake, I hope NOT....lol

 

[SilkiesAndSuch]

Ha me too

 

[LilaCombs]

We just killed a huge black snake who was stealing most of our eggs in the coop. We bought some very expensive snake away powder from Lowe's. It smelled like sulfur and moth balls. Apparently, it does not work but a 22 rifle did. That's my solution.