Black snake

[jrudolph305]

My wife went to check on the girls and a 6' black snake was in the nesting box with an egg sized bulge in his "throat" . She didn't want to shoot it in the coop so she shooed it out. Unfortunately it was quicker than she expected. She got a couple shots off but doesn't think she hit it. Is there anything to keep them out--chemical, odor etc.? I've seen snake repellent but heard it may not be effective. May have to just wait and see if it comes back and be better prepared to get rid of it.

 

[sgtmom52]

I would "snake proof" the coop with smaller wire and leave the black snake alone. The snake will eat far more mice & rats than eggs or chicks.

 

[jrudolph305]

Thought of doing that but we have a 10' X 7' X 3' high plus a top with chicken wire and another attached area 12' X12' X 5' high with bird netting over the top so to redo all that area would be rather expensive. Did catch a few mice this winter but don't THINK we have any rats. We are not raising any chicks and only have 3 hens although planning on getting a couple more this summer.

 

[mopargal1972]

Catch it and send it to my house! I have a huge mouse problem here. I would be willing to let it eat a few eggs here and there too!

I have heard of snake repellent, but I have no idea if it works. They do have a very sensitive sense of smell, so I would think that it would work. Good luck and I'm sorry that you have lost eggs. But at least it can't eat the chickens.

 

[jrudolph305]

Would love to catch and mail it to you. Luckily we have only lost one egg but as Barney Fife would say we need to "NIP IT!"

 

[fancbrd4me02]

Go to a home improvement store and get that spray insulation foam. It is easy to use, just squirt it into a gap, and it will expand and fill the crevice. Fill every gap or hole in your henhouse, and another thing you can cut down on snake intrusion by using small wire or screen or sunshade cloth on the wire part of your run.

 

[jrudolph305]

Unfortunately the snake came back last night. As much as we would like to be friends with it and the mice he may eat, he sure does upset the girls and they won't go in the coop if he is there. He won't be coming back.