I just wanted to pop in here and tell you guys what happened yesterday, and what my chicken did to let me know about it.
LATE yesterday evening, when it was time to roost for the night, one of my ladies was singing the "egg song" for all she was worth, except, it was louder, with a much faster tempo and a few more bok bok's thrown in for good measure. I could tell something was wrong.
I went to the coop, and didn't see anything, so I grabbed down the raisins, and the hen who was "singing" wouldn't take any.....okay.....something is definitely wrong here. She is pacing on the roost, screaming this bok bok bok bok bok bok bok ba-gok over and over again. I'm thinking, there must be a snake or something in here that I cannot see. I started peeking in the nest boxes one by one, and she comes up behind me, when i go to peek in one, and pecks me on the hand. I don't know for sure if she was telling me to be careful or what. Sure enough, there was a 3 foot rat snake in the box. I assume he was so full of eggs that he was a little lethargic as he didn't even flinch when we reached in and grabbed him out. I put him in an empty feed bag and relocated him.
I thought it was so cool the way that they let me know something was afoot, er...abelly, in the coop. She has never pecked me before, so I have to assume that it was part of her warning.
LATE yesterday evening, when it was time to roost for the night, one of my ladies was singing the "egg song" for all she was worth, except, it was louder, with a much faster tempo and a few more bok bok's thrown in for good measure. I could tell something was wrong.
I went to the coop, and didn't see anything, so I grabbed down the raisins, and the hen who was "singing" wouldn't take any.....okay.....something is definitely wrong here. She is pacing on the roost, screaming this bok bok bok bok bok bok bok ba-gok over and over again. I'm thinking, there must be a snake or something in here that I cannot see. I started peeking in the nest boxes one by one, and she comes up behind me, when i go to peek in one, and pecks me on the hand. I don't know for sure if she was telling me to be careful or what. Sure enough, there was a 3 foot rat snake in the box. I assume he was so full of eggs that he was a little lethargic as he didn't even flinch when we reached in and grabbed him out. I put him in an empty feed bag and relocated him.
I thought it was so cool the way that they let me know something was afoot, er...abelly, in the coop. She has never pecked me before, so I have to assume that it was part of her warning.