Caught a 6ft snake eating my chicken!

[EllieandOlive]

Well, we've finally found the culprit! We have lost about 4 dozen fertilized eggs that my 5 ducks had been broody on. They were about 3/4 the way developed, and were slowly disappearing a few at a time. Stupid me, a snake didn't even cross my mind! I kept thinking opossum maybe? My birds weren't being harmed so nothing bigger I thought.

Well last night I went out to change the waterers, and I didn't bring my flashlight (big mistake!) When I was reaching in to my quarantine-chicken cage (my weaklings that I have seperated to give extra care for whatever reason), I brushed up against this snake! Ran back to the house and got my husband and a light. I really am afraid of slitherers.
This 6ft western rat snake was half way through a midnight snack, my 2 month old chicken! GRRR! We got it out of the cage, it spat out the bird and I scared it to a corner while hubby got his air rifle. All while in just his underwear! Nothing more titilating than a man with a gun in his skivvies saving my birds and eggs from a large snake!

Lesson learned, always have a flashlight.

 

[sourland]

Oh the mental picture. Reminiscent of the time I chased a Cooper's hawk carrying one of my rollers down the drive, across the road into the neighbor's landscaping - barefoot and wearing only my undershorts.

 

[EllieandOlive]

I know that must have been tramatic for you(hubby part excluded) but those pictures are pretty cool actually! The snake eating the chicken while that other chicken is just standing there. Dang Mother Nature, you scary! Did the half eaten chicken survive? I ask because I've rescued things from snakes mouths before and they were fine

No, unfortunately it was very much dead. Likely suffocated.

 

[EllieandOlive]

Oh the mental picture. Reminiscent of the time I chased a Cooper's hawk carrying one of my rollers down the drive, across the road into the neighbor's landscaping - barefoot and wearing only my undershorts.

Oh goodness! did anyone see?!

 

[sourland]

Only the Princess - neighbors were at work.

 

[cmom]

So sorry for your loss. I do keep night lights on in my coops. Only once did I find a rat snake in a coop and I immediately got it out. I have had a couple of snakes try to go through the fence but got electrocuted when they touched the electric wires that go around the coops and pens. Good luck...
This was a snake attempting to get into the chick/grow-out coop minus it's head.

 

[EllieandOlive]

Kids thought it was pretty neat.

 

[Fluffy Lambs]

I'd eat the snake. Seems fair.

Its pretty lean. Bar B Qint it works really well, whether braised in sauce or slow smoked on the pit, then sauced.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I decapitate the poisonous ones that don't run from me. More out of concern for myself than my birds. I routinely walk around the pasture in shorts, and if I wear shoes at all, they are usually cheap plastic sandals. The head gets buried. The rest is offered to the flock.

Law of my farm - everybody serves, everybody works. Oh, and "you eat my food, you get eaten". I'm very firm on that one.

 

[McChooky]

1/2" Hardware cloth around your coop vents and runs will protect your flock ,eggs and chicks too. Don't rely on chicken wire to protect your eggs and chicks.The holes are too big and the wire stretches.It also isn't heavy enough gauge.