Black Snakes

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critterkeeper25

critterkeeper25

Songster
6 Years
Jun 16, 2014
219
41
131
South Jersey - down on the farm.
Is there a way to keep black snakes out of the coop? We have no other unprotected openings into the coop except for the automatic chicken door. That is the only way I can figure that the snake is getting into our coop. I found it in the nest boxes the other day, looking over the partition at our broody hen that was sitting on an egg. I removed the snake, but I am afraid that it is just going to keep getting into the coop. I don't know if it has been in there before I found it or not, or if it has been eating our eggs.

Any suggestions?
 
HERE IS MY SUGGESTION. I know that black snakes can be mean. If it is the same black snake that we are talking about. They are non venomous, but DO BITE. and it HURTS. You are lucky that they only are eating your eggs. Maybe snake is still small. You do have some remarkable cahonies to handle him out of your nesting area. I suggest next time you catch him, relocate him , lets say 1 mile away. I don't think he will be able to find his old home. Raccoons probably need at least 5 miles to not make it back. I'm talking urban setting for 5 miles. I do not advocate you killing that snake as I DO NOT KILL ANYTHING. ( Mosquito's and flies EXCLUDED ) Snakes have their purpose in nature just like ALL OTHER LIVING THINGS. We used to be overrun with garter snakes many years ago in our yard. They did not bother me but my spouse and children were not on same page with me. I cleaned up all the overgrowth, and remove hiding areas. I then relocated all those that I caught to a prairie area along some railroad tracks. Nobody bothered them there. I did not want to encounter one as I would be cutting the lawn. Goes back to my NO KILL attitude.
WISHING YOU BEST
thumbsup.gif
 
cavemanrich said:
HERE IS MY SUGGESTION. I know that black snakes can be mean. If it is the same black snake that we are talking about. They are non venomous, but DO BITE. and it HURTS. You are lucky that they only are eating your eggs. Maybe snake is still small. You do have some remarkable cahonies to handle him out of your nesting area. I suggest next time you catch him, relocate him , lets say 1 mile away. I don't think he will be able to find his old home. Raccoons probably need at least 5 miles to not make it back. I'm talking urban setting for 5 miles. I do not advocate you killing that snake as I DO NOT KILL ANYTHING. ( Mosquito's and flies EXCLUDED ) Snakes have their purpose in nature just like ALL OTHER LIVING THINGS. We used to be overrun with garter snakes many years ago in our yard. They did not bother me but my spouse and children were not on same page with me. I cleaned up all the overgrowth, and remove hiding areas. I then relocated all those that I caught to a prairie area along some railroad tracks. Nobody bothered them there. I did not want to encounter one as I would be cutting the lawn. Goes back to my NO KILL attitude.
WISHING YOU BEST
thumbsup.gif
Click to expand...
I don't believe in killing snakes either. I have been handling snakes since I was a little girl. I was the second of 2 kids, both girls, I think my dad wanted a boy, so he improvised. LOL He had me holding garden and hognose snakes when I was really little. I also handle frogs, toads, turtles, take my own fish off the hook. I'm real outdoorsie. My Mom has a picture of me when I was 8 holding an 8ft (I think ) black snake down in Florida at an aligator farm when we were on vacation. I have a huge smile on my face! My dad was so proud that he took the picture in to his work to show his buddies. LOL Anyway, I'd rather not relocate it because I am hoping that it will keep the mouse/vole/rat population down. We have a horse, mice are always in the hay. We live in rural farm country with all kinds of food for the rats, oats, rye, wheat, corn, soybeans. So rats are a problem too.

Do you think a 5 foot black snake could eat a chicken? I guess that it could kill one trying. I wouldn't want that. They are our pets with benefits.

Thanks for your advice!
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Thanks for your advice.
 
It is my understanding that normally they will not mess with adult chickens. However they do and will eat eggs and can cause problems to younger chickens. If you don't mind having him/her around then I would say let it be. A farmer we know has a resident black snake in his coop. The snake doesn't mess with him or the chickens so he lets it be.
 
If he comes in for an egg once in a while, then share your riches for sure. If you start loosing chickens, well then ???????. Now try to get that pix of you with that snake and post it here. The one in Florida. I can see why snakes are beneficial in your area for sure. And next time you encounter this snake take a pix. Then we can compare. LOL

 
Sounds like a Black Rat snake. Not dangerous to humans I believe (fairly docile). I did a quick Google search and apparently they are famous for eating eggs, and will also eat chicks.

Is your nest box near the ground? I didn't think rat snakes could climb...

EDIT: Ya, Googled again
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, they climb walls, so that's how he's getting in most likely. Secure the sides and top of your coop.
 
Last edited:
Cavemanrich,

Now THAT is an enormous snake! Diamondback? Yikes! It will take a while to dig up the pic of myself and my blacksnake in Florida. It might even be in black and white. LOL Next time I'm at my Mom's I'll try to find it. I'm not sure I'll see the black snake from our coop again. They can be sneaky. If I do, I'll have to go get my camera, as I have one of those old stoneage phones with the slide out keyboard. Takes lousy pictures.

Thanks for the pictures!
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critterkeeper25 said:
Cavemanrich,

. If I do, I'll have to go get my camera, as I have one of those old stoneage phones with the slide out keyboard. Takes lousy pictures.

Thanks for the pictures!
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Click to expand...
Slide out qwerty keyboard is the only thing I use. They are getting hard to find new. I have what is referred to as FAT FINGERS. I don't do well with a touch screen.
 

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