Black Snakes....no friend of mine

[buckrut]

Getting first round of birds this weekend...finally. Getting 10 week old chicks and they will be in an enclosed pen outsider with a large coop. We don't have many but 1 sighting for a black snake is to many for me. How worried should I be and what precautions can I do? thanks

 

[7L Farm]

I think the 10 week old would be safe from being eaten by a snake. You still don't wanna go to the coop & find one. I found one the other day in my hen house & it had eaten a fake egg didn't bother the chickens. The only way to keep them out is half inch hardware cloth everywhere & an apron on the bottom. This coop here is hopefully snake proof .

 

[bryan99705]

There was a gut using minnow traps with eggs as bait and catching multiple snakes in each one. I'm with you, the only good snake is a belt or boots.

I can't imagine what motivates people to put up with them even when they reach under a hen for eggs and wind up with a handful of snake

 

[dlee]

Quote:
I had many eggs eaten by snakes & I had some netting from Lowes for keeping birds out of my strawberrys. This netting has caught 5 snakes ( chicken snakes & copperheads ). The egg eating is getting fewer fast. The draught we are having here in E. Texas is drawing the snakes in for water also. Anything bother my chickens & eggs will not bother them again.

 

[FireTigeris]

Accck- good thought about the water--- I have a whole kiddy pool full...