Can snakes steal eggs from under a broody hen?

[dancingbear]

I don't know if guineas or peacocks will chase snakes away, but they will kill and eat them, especially the young ones. If they eat all the small snakes, they don't grow up to be big snakes, and the snake population will be greatly reduced.

This suits me fine, but remember, with a reduction of snakes, you get an increase in rodents. If you have plenty of cats outside, or a terrier or a whippet, that may not be a problem. Well fed cats hunt more mice and rats near home, than hungry ones, because hungry cats stray farther from home in search of food. For well fed cats, hunting is entertainment.

I don't think cats get rid of snakes. I've always had cats, and in some places, lots of snakes. Iggimom, your grandfather may have just been in an area without a lot of snakes. Cats can be bitten and killed by venomous snakes.

Oh, if you live in the country, where you can have them, pigs will kill and eat snakes.

 

[IggiMom]

No, there were lots and lots of rattlesnakes, also bull snakes where we lived.

Grandpa did not think that cats killed snakes. He thought that they ate the rats and mice that the snakes like to eat, so they would not come around so much.

And I agree, well fed cats hunt for entertainment near home. Our cats never leave our property. The do gets lots of mice, especially the female kitty.

Catherine

 

[Goose and Fig]

I bought a few guineas hoping they would solve my snake problem. Instead they drove my big red roo into the woods. Sold the guineas- but I have seen my hens eat a snake 3 times. 3 times that I've SEEN- who knows what we've missed! Had an Australorp eat a mouse a few days ago too.
Sorry about the snake problem- but it' is interesting reading all of the possible solutions.

 

[IggiMom]

I am looking for a sign that says that our property is protected against cobras by Peacocks.

Of course, it works, too.

No cobras here!

Yeah, Guineas can be mean to chickens.

Catherine

 

[dancingbear]

Quote:
Yeah, that could very well be. Less snake food=fewer snakes.

I have a very well fed kitty, Gordita the Wonder Cat, (she looks like a long-haired black and white throw pillow) who is one of the best mousers I've ever seen. I have other kitties, too, most are pretty good hunters.

 

[IggiMom]

Quote:
Yeah, that could very well be. Less snake food=fewer snakes.

I have a very well fed kitty, Gordita the Wonder Cat, (she looks like a long-haired black and white throw pillow) who is one of the best mousers I've ever seen. I have other kitties, too, most are pretty good hunters.

A good hunter kitty--hooray for Giordita--is worth her weight in gold! In my experience the females make better hunters than the males, who tend to want their mice brought to them to eat. (Not always)

Katie the Kitten is just a gray tiger kitty, but she is a good hunter.

We would lose tons of feed to mice were it not for her, I am sure.

Catherine