Black snake killed two chickens. What to do?

[Matzwd]

What about bird netting? I have read they will get caught up in it. You can then cut it out and relocate the snake. We have black snakes that reside near our chickens, and I was planning on trying it this year. Just haven't implemented it yet (or seen a snake for that matter). They tend to come from under our shed which is about three feet from our chicken run. This year we've noticed a bunny living under there. I suppose that if any snakes were there they would eat the rabbit?

Anyhow, the plan was to skirt the shed with the netting.

 

[Painted Calls]

Netting works great. I relocated one that accidentally got caught up in a roll of netting in my shed. I've also cut them out of the neighbor's blueberry bush nets. I don't kill snakes of any kind. They all get relocated to the back 40.

 

[centrarchid]

I totally agree with you on not killing any beneficial creatures just because. Especially in an inhumane manor

It is great not to kill, but there is responsibility to have facts straight when giving justifications.

 

[ColtHandorf]

I do not understand- I have had chickens for decades and many snakes have lived here and never-ever- hurt any chicken

Tell that to the eight 3.5 - 4 month old English Silver-laced Orpingtons I lost to snakes last year. They birds were too large to successfully swallow, but they would kill them, get them down to about the breast bone, and then regurgitate them to go after another one.

 

[JBG acres]

Tell that to the eight 3.5 - 4 month old English Silver-laced Orpingtons I lost to snakes last year. They birds were too large to successfully swallow, but they would kill them, get them down to about the breast bone, and then regurgitate them to go after another one.

That's what one did to my guinea fowl last year too. This year I caught one chasing my duck off her nest and trying to eat her eggs .

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Tell that to the eight 3.5 - 4 month old English Silver-laced Orpingtons I lost to snakes last year. They birds were too large to successfully swallow, but they would kill them, get them down to about the breast bone, and then regurgitate them to go after another one.

Yeah, we lost two, 2 month old guinea fowl to a black rat snake last year. Most snakes are good at sizing up prey, but I’m guessing that black rat snakes are just not so great at telling whether a bird is too big for it to eat. I relocate rather than kill them, since they are generally beneficial snakes.

 

[SAHM110621]

I do not understand- I have had chickens for decades and many snakes have lived here and never-ever- hurt any chicken ( I do keep them inside when they are young) For years a 6 foot black snake live in my barn which is attached to my chicken pen. Yes, it will eat the eggs occasionally=BUT I have never heard of a black snake killing a chicken. They eat rodents, eggs, frogs,.

I do not have rats or squirrels that get in my barn or food- guess why???

Black snakes are your FRIEND> they will eat baby Copperheads and Copperhead eggs, they are territorial - I have never seen a Copperhead on my woody property.
I thank my black snake for that.

PLEASE: Do NOT put golf balls or fake eggs in and kill this beneficial creature.

I solved my Black snake eating eggs problem by building a roll away egg box and gluing a fake egg down inside the nesting box for the hens to sit on. I glued it because I did not want the snake to end up in a horrible death.

My husband captures a black snake and relocates it when it becomes a problem. The snake in the photo is the one who lived in my barn - I often cleaned the barn and he watched. My husband finally caught him and relocated him because my dog was too interested in the snake and we were afraid he would bother it.

Please do not kill the black snake!

So I do agree with how you feel about black snakes however for some reason about and 1.5 hrs ago a 7ft black snake killed one of my young guineas (couldn’t eat it too big) I’m still trying to understand why!

 

[McChooky]

Being excellent climbers rat snakes will eat a lot of birds, eggs and chicks in the nest