chickens and snakes

[pdoyle23323]

HI all! I have 6 week old Plymouth Rocks and we are getting ready to put them in their coop. My plan is this: They will go in the coop and I will close it up at night and open in the morning on the way to work until they get older.

At what age can they defend their selves from snakes? I am deadly afraid they are going to get eaten if I don't close them up at night. Their run is made with 1" yard fence (like the average backyard fence but smaller holes) with a steel frame. It will take an act of congress to move the run. The coop is on wheels. Sooner or later I would like to leave it open for them come and go as they please.

Also,
Can i use some bales of hay that I used back in November (for a Thanksgiving yard display) to put in their coop? It's been sitting outside all this time. I figured they'd eat the bugs that are in it. Is it safe?

Newbie chicken owner here - can you tell?

Love this site - thanks for any advice!

Dawn

 

[Judy]

What kind of snakes? At that age they'd be a pretty big mouthful, but it could happen if the snake was big enough. Snakes are most likely to eat eggs and young chicks.

The hay will be fun play time for them -- if it's not moldy.

 

[pdoyle23323]

Thanks! I don't know if its moldy. I haven't really looked at it. It's 3 bales stacked on top of each other. The only snakes I've seen around our home is black snakes and water snakes(not the poisonous ones). I know they're other snakes about, they stay in the woods i guess. I can't get this mental image of one getting in there an squeezing her to death.

Are 6wks not considered "young"?

 

[cmfarm]

I think it depends on the # of snakes in the area you live. We have tons of them, mostly chicken snakes (also know as rat snakes, but I call them chicken snakes because they kill my chickens). Just recently I moved some 4 week old chicks outside to a pen with chicken wire. The next day it looked like there were less but it was hard to tell because they wouldn't keep still. Then the chicken snake came back (it had already eaten one and had not digested it) and was back for more. I figured it was a one time thing and then 2 days later (on mothers day) I went out after dark and there was a copper head and a chicken snake try to get them. So now they are in a cage made out of hardware clothe so hopefully they will be safe. Chicken snakes will kill even a full grown chicken, they just are too big to eat, but they will try. If you ever find a dead chicken with a slimy looking head it was a snake trying to eat it, it was just too large and it had to spit it back out. I would lock them in at night; that is when it is cooler and snakes hunt at that time.

 

[tiffanyg2]

Quote:

I hope that day never comes!!!

 

[pdoyle23323]

Thanks! OK, hear is my next question: What time chickens generally go in at night? Was thinking of an auto type door for when we go out of town (if we ever do) but then I'd worry about one getting left out in the coop!