An "old friend" came back by for a "visit" ~ pics~

[Guitartists]

Cool pics! I love that one in the first post where all the chickens are checking it out!

Lovely snakes

 

[ursusarctosana]

Quote:
It was eatin' size for sure

I felt sorry for the fish, I could hear it grunting when the snake had taken it underwater. Spooky...
thank you for those links,they helped alot.
This is the water snake taking the catfish down.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/216_100_2690_final.jpg

Here's a pic of a rat snake from last year.We see more nonvenomous snakes than the poisonous ones around.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/216_100_5526_final.jpg

Another thing I want yall to know is I'm here at home all day, everyday. I rarely get away during the day.I'm an outdoors type person & always keeping an eye out for my flock. They let me know if there's a snake in the yard,lol.
*Knock on wood*
I've only lost 1 pullet (hawk) in over 5 years I've had my chickens.

I've heard that guinea hens are good at harassing snakes. However, the snakes you post are large.

I love the rat snake, btw, it is beautiful. I worked in a pet store managing the reptile department when I was younger and we had a huge king snake who was expert at getting out of his cage. We'd always find him in the employee break area hiding in cupboards.

I used to have a Children's Python--a gorgeous small constrictor from Australia--that would escape during the night and coil up in my dresser drawers beneath my clothes. One night, around 2 a.m., the little bugger crawled up my side. It didn't scare me, because I registered what it was right away. Very nice snake, though when it was a wee baby it would coil and strike like a cobra. I'm sure this was due to needing to protect itself as it was so tiny.

 

[ursusarctosana]

Dr.Doorlock :

I still find it hard to believe that a friend of mine used to grab them by the tail and swing them around so the centripital force kept them controled. Then he would see how far into the lake they would fly when he let them go.

Maybe that's why they are so mean.

AND perhaps the rattlers are onto the people in Sweetwater:

http://www.motofoto.cc/sweetwater_annual_rattlesnake_roundup.htm​

 

[Wifezilla]

"The snakes came in, they were weighed, they were milked for their venom, they were slaughtered, they were butchered, and then the skins and the meat went their separate ways.

All of this was done right in front of the spectators. This was definitely not a place for the squeamish"

Understatement of the year...LOL

 

[shaylee]

Anything poisonous is killed, if we catch it here. Only because I have two young kids and if I released the thing and they were bit later....I would never forgive myself. (I also dont keep mean roosters) I had to shut my water main off a while back. The guy who came to replace the hot water heater had a fit, a momma black widow was in the hole I stuck my arm in twice the night before. She had egg sacks. She hadnt bit me, he killed her and burned the eggs. Hate to kill anything, but I couldnt risk any kids in the neighborhood by letting her go.

We have some bullsnakes and ribbon snakes, I let them be. I pick up turtles off the road every year. (I need a 'I brake for turtles' bumpersticker,lol. ) I respect nature and its offerings, but my kids well being come first.

We also have a opossum in our yard, never has touched a chick or chicken.

 

[KinderKorner]

Oh my goodness. If that was in my yard I would locked myself in the house and had to call someone to kill it. That is a huge snake. Ew I hate snakes. Last year I was riding my horse in his pasture, and he was looking at something. So I looked down and there was a copperhead like 2ft away. Luckily it didn't bite him. I screamed and ran away. The someone had to come back and get a shovel to chop off it's head. We also have large black snakes, we don't kill them. But if one is spotted, I'm hiding in the house. lol

 

[crazy for chicken]

I can deal with the cold in ny before I could not go for that every day, Kill that thing It will be back!!!no thank you

 

[rebecca10782]

Aww, that is so sweet of you to save him

I don't believe in killing anything either. You have more guts than me though, I would have had to get a big brave man to relocate him for me

I am a wimp