Abundance of rat snakes and the coop.

[BraveTurnip]

Hey all. First chicks arrive in 2 days. Getting ready to build the coop and run.

The back side of our property running on into the neighbors is a water shed area. (Large city lot btw, nothing huge)

This gives rise to a glorious amount of amphibian life forms. Nothing poisonous but let's just say I do not have a vole or rat problem in the garden nor the compost bin.

They are beautiful rat snakes and sometimes black snakes, mud worms, salamanders, frogs, mostly toads, lizards and a fabulous ecology for my garden. Not bad for small city life.

So I've never wanted chickens and to fight for their eggs with the snakes and now I must have chickens.

My birds will not be free range. The horned owls own the place and the hawks are everywhere.

At least the owls help prevent overpopulation.

The run will be covered even more so with ai being suspect.

But here's my advanced risk management issue:. How do I keep the snakes from strolling in through their pop door during the day? It will probably happen.

Unless a roo will take care of it?

I cannot afford 1/2 cloth around run.

And also, do I need to use 1/4 " cloth at vents on the coop or is 1/2 sufficient? I'll increase the size of the venting if the smaller is used.

 

[cavemanrich]

Half inch hardware cloth is just fine for the vents. I know that stuff is pricey,, reason you don't want to use on your run area. But to the rescue...... You can double up the run fencing with chicken wire. That will keep out the Good Snakes. Chicken wire is not overpriced yet.
I'm glad you have a good attitude about beneficial creature in our surroundings.
A few extra tips.. Keep feed in metal containers for the night. Also remove/pour out water containers for the night. This way, whatever night time creature do wander by, will not be making it a regular stop for beverages.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and

 

[mowin]

I don't care how many times you layer chicken wire, there's always going to be areas that a snakes, and most likely other predators, will get in. Snakes climb very well and will find a way in. HC is expensive, but well worth it to keep your chickens and eggs safe.

 

[McChooky]

Some do some don't. I use hardware cloth in my brooders,coops and runs and it keeps snakes out.The only thing I feed around here is my cats and dogs or chickens. I don't feed the snakes.

 

[McChooky]

Hey all. First chicks arrive in 2 days. Getting ready to build the coop and run.

The back side of our property running on into the neighbors is a water shed area. (Large city lot btw, nothing huge)

This gives rise to a glorious amount of amphibian life forms. Nothing poisonous but let's just say I do not have a vole or rat problem in the garden nor the compost bin.

They are beautiful rat snakes and sometimes black snakes, mud worms, salamanders, frogs, mostly toads, lizards and a fabulous ecology for my garden. Not bad for small city life.

So I've never wanted chickens and to fight for their eggs with the snakes and now I must have chickens.

My birds will not be free range. The horned owls own the place and the hawks are everywhere.

At least the owls help prevent overpopulation.

The run will be covered even more so with ai being suspect.

But here's my advanced risk management issue:. How do I keep the snakes from strolling in through their pop door during the day? It will probably happen.

Unless a roo will take care of it?

I cannot afford 1/2 cloth around run.

And also, do I need to use 1/4 " cloth at vents on the coop or is 1/2 sufficient? I'll increase the size of the venting if the smaller is used.

If you don't the snakes for their eggs they'll win.

 

[Geena]

You could cover your run fence with some deer netting on the outside.

 

[BraveTurnip]

I don't care how many times you layer chicken wire, there's always going to be areas that a snakes, and most likely other predators, will get in. Snakes climb very well and will find a way in. HC is expensive, but well worth it to keep your chickens and eggs safe.

Not real certain how to address this because some find it offensive. It's a matter of perspective, really.

I want to address this for the reality of the soon-to-swarm of folks who will be experiencing this and also for those who already are but are afraid to talk because of this problem of perspective.

One who has a sufficient cash flow considers this a matter of priorities.

This is not a problem of priorities. It's a cash flow problem. If there's not enough cash, a switch in priorities isn't going to matter. There's nowhere to supplement cash in order to afford more 1/4" hardware cloth.

There are some other options but they are not reliable and require persistence, long-suffering, time and a bit of luck.

But watch this:

After I made this post, I went back to calculating square footage of the run and headed over to calculate price per square foot of steel fencing, chicken wire, various hardware cloths.

SOLD OUT in my area.

 

[McChooky]

Not real certain how to address this because some find it offensive. It's a matter of perspective, really.

I want to address this for the reality of the soon-to-swarm of folks who will be experiencing this and also for those who already are but are afraid to talk because of this problem of perspective.

One who has a sufficient cash flow considers this a matter of priorities.

This is not a problem of priorities. It's a cash flow problem. If there's not enough cash, a switch in priorities isn't going to matter. There's nowhere to supplement cash in order to afford more 1/4" hardware cloth.

There are some other options but they are not reliable and require persistence, long-suffering, time and a bit of luck.

But watch this:

After I made this post, I went back to calculating square footage of the run and headed over to calculate price per square foot of steel fencing, chicken wire, various hardware cloths.

SOLD OUT in my area.

Hardware cloth can be found cheaper on Amazon or Walmart than locally (usually)The only exception was when Lowes had a close out on some last year.

 

[McChooky]

You can use minnow traps and make your own snake traps. https://bitchinchickens.com/2020/11/16/protecting-your-chickens-from-snakes/

 

[McChooky]

Funnel traps