Best way I've found yet to deal with snake problems!!

[ronikins]

Genius! Thanks for sharing. I bet we'd end up catchin a ton of copperheads too. The hubby killed one just the other day. It was right under our backdoor. Then I saw a 6 foot black snake goin up a tree, too close for comfort to the coop

 

[Elwood Lightfoot]

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I've heard that copperheads are not found at all to the west of I-35 and in my area not west of a road just a few miles from me I don't know if I believe that really I know that snakes have ranges but if your that close to the edge of the range I'm sure there isn't a magic line stopping them from crossing over it LOL

 

[Kikiriki]

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I agree....great idea, although I am surprised they don't find their way out...

 

[benjoycei]

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corn snake is brighter reddish orange with a skinny head
copperhead is duller browns with a triangular head

 

[brownegger]

I have to say, I am impressed with the effectiveness of your trap idea. It gives me great ideas for the copperhead study that I am currently working on. These are terribly misunderstood and awesome creatures!
The fact you are catching them in your coop is kind of bothersome. If they can't get in...they're not a problem. Collect your eggs daily and your chickens should be safely roosted above them (copperheads). Though it is unlikely that the copperheads would even target grown chickens. Very small chicks would be my only concern with them.

This trap is an ingenious tool to relocate them short distances from the property to areas where they're less likely to be a problem.
My study area so far has produced zero copperheads! It seems that every local that I talk to in the area, has killed every snake they see. It is kind of disheartening really. This is why I have been a bit more proactive with the snakes lately. You would not believe the rodent populations in this area either, definitely a direct correlation there!
I have plenty of snakes around my home, no snake problems, though I do anticipate a rare problem, it has not happened...ever!
As for the raccoons and foxes...they have really been a problem. I have no qualms about eliminating them when necessary!
Sorry if I offend anyone with these posts, I'm just trying to spread some facts around. We're all capable of learning and changing ways of thinking...I did!

 

[Barrdwing]

We had such an unbelievable mouse problem at our old place that I prayed for a nice snake to move in! I would have been willing to live-and-let-live with a rattlesnake, for crying out loud. Twice I found snakes in or near the coop--a beautiful banded kingsnake and a young rosy boa--but they never stuck around: I think they figured the chickens would eat them. It wasn't until an owl family moved into the neighbor's tree that we finally got the mice under control.

While I certainly wouldn't expect anyone to welcome a venomous snake into their yard, I sure do appreciate the rodent control that snakes provide! Last month we had a fine big gopher snake helping us out with the ground squirrel problem--atta baby!

 

[Tala]

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I do the same thing myself. I have a freezer on the back porch, for "overflow" from the kitchen freezer, or "other" type stuff. I'd almost feel sorry if anyone thought they might get lucky and steal steak or somethin off my back porch

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Get ya a book with pictures and learn the differences. Here in Arkansas it's pretty easy, almost all of the bad snakes are in the Viper family and they all have the distinctive head. There's a good book at the library called The Amphibians and Reptiles of Arkansas, and a good website http://www.herpsofarkansas.com/Snake/HomePage. Surely Florida has similar resources available (and probably worse snakes!)

 

[silver1313]

How exactly do you use them ...? Do you just put the trap near your coop with the bait in it ?

 

[Mahonri]

All I can say is, "WOW!"

 

[drumstick diva]

Snakes in the freezer, boy that would cure my ice cream habbit. Makes me recall the after credit's scene from "Percy Jackon and the Olympians something or other movie," they had medusa's head(with snakes instead of hair) in the fridge and the bad guy opened it - medusa's eyes opened and well,,, he was turned to stone.Boy, did I love that movie!!!