black snakes

[steven11788]

hey, i've caught, more black snakes this year than any, umm 6 so far, all but 2 have been drinking the range hens waterer, do they eat eggs, i would croke if they at my gamehens eggs, they are my very expnesive bloodlines, i havn't lost any yet but if the do eat eggs. I wont give them no benifet of no doubt

 

[rooster0209]

Not positive but I think black snakes are constrictors that love to eat eat mice & rats!

Not sure about chicken eggs.

 

[steven11788]

im glad, i'll jsut have to get the chicks when they hatch, so they wont get the wrong kinda ideal

 

[FarmGirl01]

If you are talking about a Black Rat Snake I have caught many of them eating eggs. And they sure will get any chicks they can find. I have seen many snakes this year. (The year of the Snake) They also will eat mice and rats. The best snake to have is the King snake. I have let a big one go around my hens house.

 

[tink]

They will eat your eggs and they will eat your babies. I caught one with one of my babies half way down his throat. I did not let him enjoy that one!! Was afraid he'd come back for more.
Try and rehome them if you can...The good thing about them is they eat the bad snakes...cooper heads around here. So keep one Small one!!
Tink

 

[steven11788]

yea, im not scared of the copperheads, but of the rattle snakes, (timblers i think really scare me)

 

[can you hear me now?]

saying always goes, If you have black snakes you wont have the others. Kingsnakes conveniently eat other snakes as well.

 

[jackie]

This morning I went out on the porch to have a cup of coffee. And saw the hen going crazy, So I went down there and found one 3 week old chick dead. One was still alive, and couldnt find the other one. I started cleaning out the coop, woundering what the hell got my babies. I just happened to look in the back and saw something black. Got my husband and he brought his gun. We didnt know what it was.
Well it was a black snake, I dont know how he got in there. As this has never happened before. My husband didnt kill it, Iam woundering if this snake will come back. And what can I do to protect my last baby? If anyone has any info I would really appreciate it.
Jackie

 

[amazondoc]

Quote:
Yes, the snake will probably be back if you don't remove it. If you can't put up wire that is small enough to prevent the snake from entering the coop, then you can scoop/encourage him into a bag or box or trashcan, and transport him off into the woods a good ways away.

It may be good to remind folks in the Carolinas that "black" snakes may include the federally endangered Eastern indigo snake. I just read a story yesterday about kids killing one in NC. The feds decided not to press charges on that one, but the penalty for killing an indigo snake can range up to $50,000 AND a year in jail. Just something to think about!

 

[dacjohns]

Emphasizing (with some slight rewording) what amazondoc said:

The commonly used name "black snake" covers more than one species of snake. Be careful.