California-Southern

[Calichicken2015]

We were greeted by a nice big Rattlesnake when we parked the car in the garage just now. My 26 year old son is freaking because he has to put the trash out tonight. I told him to wear his boots and levis hed be fine.

It was a nice big adult about six feet long... tasting the vibrations of the garage door as it shut.... another reason to keep your garage doors shut this time of year.

dont put hands in places you cant see
dont allow piles of wood or stuff to create refuge

they arent a threat to chickens.



deb

Thank you for the info!

 

[chickencrazy21]

How come there not a threat to chickens? We havnt had a rattler around here since my aunt was a kid (shes 9 years older than me) she was a suprise to my grandparents when grandma was in her late 40s. Anywayd im sure there around but i havnt physically seen them

 

[Amelia Egghart]

Juvenile hawks are learning how to hunt right now, too. They're full size, on their own, but act WAY more brazen. I got hit on the shoulder today by one that misjudged an attack and flipped a U turn mid air using my shoulder once it realized humans were present. The wings hit my BF who was next to me. Chicks were all ok but terrified.

This picture is from a few days ago, probably the same hawk, obviously doesn't see us as a threat.

Careful out there! Nature rules! ... Literally.

 

[Sylvester017]

Juvenile hawks are learning how to hunt right now, too. They're full size, on their own, but act WAY more brazen. I got hit on the shoulder today by one that misjudged an attack and flipped a U turn mid air using my shoulder once it realized humans were present. The wings hit my BF who was next to me. Chicks were all ok but terrified.

This picture is from a few days ago, probably the same hawk, obviously doesn't see us as a threat.



Careful out there! Nature rules! ... Literally.

Correct, Cooper's Hawks are not at all afraid. They sit on our patio lawn furniture or on the fence or on the roof and survey all around them. The youngsters are a bit more adventurous and less cunning than the adults. Our older chickens are so aware of hawks that we've been lucky not to lose a hen in 5 yrs. We also have a LOT of shelters around the yard for the hens to quickly duck-and-hide -- like pop-up canopy, a couple lean-to plywood sheets on cinder blocks for shade, lawn furniture, 5 large dog houses (we found another dog house for free in the neighborhood on trash day), and have a garden fence lined with potted plants to hide under.

 

[perchie.girl]

How come there not a threat to chickens? We havnt had a rattler around here since my aunt was a kid (shes 9 years older than me) she was a suprise to my grandparents when grandma was in her late 40s. Anywayd im sure there around but i havnt physically seen them

They will go after chicks but during the time Rattle snakes are hunting the chickens are going to bed. They dont even eat eggs.... Pit vipers hunt by heat and their main prey are mice and rats....

By the way we identified the snake it was a Southern Pacific Rattle snake very dark in color with kind of cream patterns. My son Caught it and relocated it to a wild area at the end of the street.... It was about two feet long, not six as I thought. He used some long reach grippers we have for getting stuff out of the cupbord. It didnt get alarmed till he let it go in the bottom of the trash can.

This is something that people should not do unless they have some knowledge about how to handle snakes. I have caught and handled non venomous snakes many times. And trapped and removed venomous snakes on a few occasions usually with an over turned bucket and some cardboard.

I have also killed rattle snakes that would not leave an area... Like our front porch which is like a little garden with a walk way. I dont like to kill them because they are beneficial but this spot was not a good situation. My neighbor when he has to kill them eats them... Last time he did some work on my property he killed two females that were about six feet long.

When I asked him what he did with them he grinned and said they were marinating in Teriyaki.....

Just remember a Dead Rattle snake is still just as dangerous as a live one till you remove the head and get it disposed of securely.

deb

 

[Jessimom]

Juvenile hawks are learning how to hunt right now, too. They're full size, on their own, but act WAY more brazen. I got hit on the shoulder today by one that misjudged an attack and flipped a U turn mid air using my shoulder once it realized humans were present. The wings hit my BF who was next to me. Chicks were all ok but terrified.

This picture is from a few days ago, probably the same hawk, obviously doesn't see us as a threat.



Careful out there! Nature rules! ... Literally.

This is a juvenile that crawled into a TINY opening in our silkie coop and got one of my silkies, the day after it's parent killed 2 when they were out in their run. This one couldn't get OUT of the coop, so we caught it and then let it go.

 

[chickencrazy21]

The one my aunt jumped over as a kid (the rattler not the hawk lmao she didnt see the rattler until she was coming back) my grandpa taught it a lesson for coming so close to my aunt. He chopped it with an ax. And then hung the rattle above the kitchen sink as a warning for others. It worked like a charm. About 2 years ago my aunt finally took it to her house. Still havnt seen any. But yes watch out for the hawks. I had not one but two off 12 in a few days 1 i had to snap its neck as the hawk droped it and caused a compound fracture...i cried before during and after. I still have the image of its jaw gaping open and toung doing that thing

9 including the one i had to cull were from a hatchery. The hawks killed half of my batch of 18. They were about two months old i had to let them out with the others as a 8 foot long by four feet wide by four feet tall hand built coop with a dog crate attached was getting small for them. Not only did it kill them i then penned up the remaining ones. Along with my two female bantams. Killed them threw the dog pen by grabbing there necks. And they killed my bantam roo. There vicious fers and will come back till nothing is left. It wasnt easy getting rid of them. Everyone was penned up in a smaller area with tarps gallor to keep them out. When i was tarping the area one og the hawks flew above. I tried spraying it with the eater hose...not my brightest idea since about 10 feet or so behind me is power lines but i wasnt thinking. The water didnt hit the bird but it hasnt bugged my guys since. And as for your 2 foot rattler the smaller the worst. They dont control there venom well. OHHH totally just dawned on me. I did catch a rare posinius water snake. It was in the little stream area on the street. I was smart enough rangling it not to touch it. How i didnt step on it with my bare feet is beyond me. It was dark out took the trash down. Went to walk back up our driveway and yelled for mom theres a baby snake. Pointed it out...told the bad eye sighted woman to watch the black stick lol ran in the house and used a flashlight and tupperwear and hay to put it in the tupperwear. I knew it was a water snake and gave it to our friend whos a boy scout leader. He had it identified. He told me the name but you think i remember it. Totally not suposted to be in my area. Eventually he took it to the person who identified it as it wouldnt eat and they knew a specialist to take care of it. Makes you wonder tho...wheres the mom and othrr babies. Bte it wasnt a watet mocasin. Gosh cant spell tonight lol. I know it came out of the drainage ditch next to my neighbors house. And in case your wondering if i still take the trash out barefoot at night...OF COURSEA! LOL i prefer to be barefoot on my property. Sry if i rambled.

 

[Amelia Egghart]

This is a juvenile that crawled into a TINY opening in our silkie coop and got one of my silkies, the day after it's parent killed 2 when they were out in their run. This one couldn't get OUT of the coop, so we caught it and then let it go.

Wow! Juvies have those freaky light colored eyes. What was the opening it got through? I'm thinking I need to change the panels on the top of my big run. Used a wide strong wire just too to keep them from swooping in but didn't think about the reach of a sharp shinned or cooper's with their long legs. now that I've seen a juvie red tail chillin on top, I'm worried. Ugh! Predators! Why must chickens be so delicious!

 

[Amelia Egghart]

Honestly, I've handled lots of snakes, used to volunteer at the Natural History Museum as a snake "expert" (I only knew and know the few natives they had there for showing and educating people) and have owned a few.... But the closest I've ever come to a rattler is the length of my shovel. For Southern Pacifics, they get the sharp end of the blade. The *one* time I saw a red diamindback, it got escorted out via the flat end of the shovel and tossed into a canyon! *shudder* no thanks!

And you should wear shoes, ChickenCrazy! I got a pair of garden clogs I keep by the door (INSIDE, no snakes/spiders in shoes for me) that slip on super quick. Used to go barefoot or flip flops but have had too many close calls (with renegade construction equipment, not Nature, but still, after nearly losing a toe once you'd think I'd learn).

 

[Jessimom]

Wow! Juvies have those freaky light colored eyes. What was the opening it got through? I'm thinking I need to change the panels on the top of my big run. Used a wide strong wire just too to keep them from swooping in but didn't think about the reach of a sharp shinned or cooper's with their long legs. now that I've seen a juvie red tail chillin on top, I'm worried.

Ugh! Predators! Why must chickens be so delicious!

It's a weird pen. At one point there was a chain link cage with a small wooden nesting box in it, that someone 20 years ago might have had a chicken in. We cleaned out that cage and added more fencing around it. In that original cage, the roof had slipped and one corner had dropped in about 2 inches. That is where the hawk got in. We have now covered the roof. And covered the rest of the run. Haven't had a problem since.