A 3 1/2 week old baby was eaten by this tonight

[Stephanie739]

My little dog (beagle/cocker spaniel mix) is so sweet. He was outside in the coop and stayed with the chickens until I realized there was a problem. I didn't lock the babies in the crate tonight because some were roosting with the big chicks. I am soooooooo glad they weren't locked in with that! My dog got most of the babies out of the coop and stayed to take care of them.

I was calling for my dog, and he wouldn't come (unlike him at night) I went around back and saw a little baby chick sitting in the grass by herself, and thought how bizarre. I thought she forgot how to "go to bed." As I was carrying her inside to put her under heat, I saw my dog slowly come out of the coop..all the babies crowded together at the edge of the run started chirping...I put them all under heat (inside) and began the headcount. I still didn't know what was going on.

Unfortunately my flashlight was not working! I was using my phone to shine some light. I saw one little baby sitting in the cage (with the snake that I didn't realize was there!) I got him/her and caught a glimpse of the black shape. I started taking pictures just so I could use the flash and make sure of what I thought I was seeing.

After gathering all the babies inside, I realized I did lose one little baby tonight. I moved all the big chicks to the kennel (the other coop/run) The snake left sometime while I was taking pictures (to see!) He was there and then gone...that freaked me out a bit.

Anyway, I have decided this is probably just a black rat snake, just doing what he does.....

I am going to have to make some changes to the coop and run tomorrow. Are my big chickens (or cats) in danger of this? What should I do?

 

[Stephanie739]

Here is Munchie, my little hero dog

 

[redsoxs]

Hang in there, Stephanie!

I know it infuriates me when a predator gets one of my birds.

I've recently had that happen after a year of never having lost a bird. My guess would be that your big chickens are safe from snakes and by the time this snake needs to eat again your little ones should be out of danger as they will have grown quite a bit. But please don't take my word on it. I'm sure there are some people on this forum who have had some similar expereiences as you. Best of luck!

 

[Ridgerunner]

It dependson how big your adult chickens are and how big the snake is. If you have full sized fowl and not bantams, it would take a really large snake to harm them. Rat snakes can get pretty big so there is a risk but that one does not look all that big. I've had snakes eat eggs and take baby chicks but I've never had a snake bother the adult chickens. Some people on this forum have though. Some snakes can get pretty big.

It will probably take that snake two or three days to digest that chick, then it could be back for more. They can come back at any time too, the middle of the day and not just at night. That's pretty much the pattern when I have one eating eggs, take maybe three or four eggs during the day since I don't leave eggs in the coop overnight, then come back maybe two to three days later for more eggs.

I lost a chick to a snake about three weeks ago, a one week old chick. The snake crawled through the 1" hardware cloth but could not get back out after it swallowed the chick so I was able to assure it would not take any more chicks or eggs.

I don't kill any non-poisonous snake unless i catch it in my coop. I like having them around for rodent control. I don't even mind losing an occasional egg but when they start depending on my eggs for most of their food instead of rodents it's time to go.

 

[Stephanie739]

Hang in there, Stephanie!

I know it infuriates me when a predator gets one of my birds.

I've recently had that happen after a year of never having lost a bird. My guess would be that your big chickens are safe from snakes and by the time this snake needs to eat again your little ones should be out of danger as they will have grown quite a bit. But please don't take my word on it. I'm sure there are some people on this forum who have had some similar expereiences as you. Best of luck!

Thanks! I kind of thought my big chicks were okay, and that even moving them last night wasn't necessary, but I was anxious. I do not see snakes a lot and never really considered the danger. I always think of raccoons, opossums, etc. I guess all of those little babies running around have been very tempting to snakes. Now I have to figure out how to better care for the babies so I don't lose anymore. I haven't opened the run to any of the chickens today, not even the big chickens.

 

[Stephanie739]

It dependson how big your adult chickens are and how big the snake is. If you have full sized fowl and not bantams, it would take a really large snake to harm them. Rat snakes can get pretty big so there is a risk but that one does not look all that big. I've had snakes eat eggs and take baby chicks but I've never had a snake bother the adult chickens. Some people on this forum have though. Some snakes can get pretty big.
It will probably take that snake two or three days to digest that chick, then it could be back for more. They can come back at any time too, the middle of the day and not just at night. That's pretty much the pattern when I have one eating eggs, take maybe three or four eggs during the day since I don't leave eggs in the coop overnight, then come back maybe two to three days later for more eggs.
I lost a chick to a snake about three weeks ago, a one week old chick. The snake crawled through the 1" hardware cloth but could not get back out after it swallowed the chick so I was able to assure it would not take any more chicks or eggs.
I don't kill any non-poisonous snake unless i catch it in my coop. I like having them around for rodent control. I don't even mind losing an occasional egg but when they start depending on my eggs for most of their food instead of rodents it's time to go.

Thank you for your reply. I'm sorry you lost a baby too recently. That is concerning, hearing that even hardware cloth with such small spacing doesn't keep them safe. Its sad, but I guess its just a part of life to accept...I eat them too!

I guess the snake was between 3-4 feet long. All my chicks are full sized except two bantam roos. My leghorns and barred rocks are on the small side too..I didn't really consider killing the snake either. I wanted to make sure it wasn't poisonous, but I thought the same as you-pest control, but I don't know how to keep the snake from eating my baby chickens!

 

[Stephanie739]

Hang in there, Stephanie!

I know it infuriates me when a predator gets one of my birds.

I've recently had that happen after a year of never having lost a bird. My guess would be that your big chickens are safe from snakes and by the time this snake needs to eat again your little ones should be out of danger as they will have grown quite a bit. But please don't take my word on it. I'm sure there are some people on this forum who have had some similar expereiences as you. Best of luck!

What kind of predator last got to yours?

 

[redsoxs]

What kind of predator last got to yours?

I think a coyote...just because I think there are 5 coyotes for every person in Kansas. But the birds I've lost (two chickens and a duck) were taken in broad daylight and the two sets of remains I've found have been pretty close by to where they were taken. That makes me think its not a coyote. I have had some advice saying it sounds like a fox - something we have here but is much rarer. All my birds are in their runs until I can get whatever it is. It will be a challange keeping them cool in this weather - when they ranged shade was easier to find - I have temporary shade rigged up in the interim.

 

[Stephanie739]

I think a coyote...just because I think there are 5 coyotes for every person in Kansas. But the birds I've lost (two chickens and a duck) were taken in broad daylight and the two sets of remains I've found have been pretty close by to where they were taken. That makes me think its not a coyote. I have had some advice saying it sounds like a fox - something we have here but is much rarer. All my birds are in their runs until I can get whatever it is. It will be a challange keeping them cool in this weather - when they ranged shade was easier to find - I have temporary shade rigged up in the interim.

Mine are free ranging because I am scared to put them back in the run! lol

 

[Jimtherunner]

Yay, Munchie!!!!