chickens attacked last night

[fuzzy2560]

Hi, I am new to the group and read the forum. I just lost several chicks and ducks to a snake. I had to pull him off a mother hen. I don't know how I did it because snakes are not one of my fav critters. lol. I saved the mother hen and one chick. It took part of the head off one of my guineas and a leg off one of the ducks. Very little blood loss since I figure he squeezed it off. I buy a horse sauve that draws out any infection and use it on all my critters. It really works wonders and keeps flies away. Smells awful but does the job. I boiled some eggs and put them in the nest with needles in them. I know it is cruel but I had to protect what is mine. The eggs were eaten day before yesterday. I put the mother hen and the one chick in a Rabbit cage until I am sure I have seen the last of the snake. My so called fight with the snake took place five feet in the air. The only thing I can figure is he dropped from a tree into the coop area. I ended up losing around 20 chicks and two ducks. Hopefully this is the end of it. People have told me to put golf balls in the nests for the snakes to eat. I do not know if either way actually works so if anyone else has any imput please let me know. Thanks.

 

[bob67cam]

Quote:
well i talked to a trapper the next day too, his 1st idea was mink or weasel, however, the birds that got hurt were sliced, he had mentioned that weasels/minks will kill by tearing of heads and basicly tearing out throats and such
only 1 was missing skin, the rest looked like they were sliced with a knife, and in the chickenwire you can see where it was pulled towrds the outside, like whatever grabbed it and tried to pull it back out, but that failed, the dead 1 had 1 slice at the base of its neck, no worse then a daily scratch for me, about an inch long and then looking closer had 1 slice near its head with more blood, however there was no knawing/biting marks on any of them and the 1 that lost the skin had no muscle damage or anything, like if it were a cat it grabbed the skin and it got pulled off
i have also set a trap with tuns outside the pen and a little pan of flour to get a track, however have seen no action from either of those, the tracker is coming out naext week but he said without knowing what it was, he dont know what traps hell need since they are all species specific

 

[bob67cam]

Quote:
yea im hoping they do to, i dont have any idea what to clean the wounds with, just water?, koolaid?,ok j/k bout that 1...lol

 

[chickflick]

Saline soulution, is what others have used. If you don't have it, maybe some soapy water for now. Good luck with the trapping. Hope you get what ever it is.

 

[ruth]

Quote:
Here's a link with photos of different types of hardware cloth.

http://www.twpinc.com/twpinc/control/category/~category_id=TWPCAT_14

If you use the small hole type even snakes can't get in but they can get through chicken wire.

 

[bob67cam]

Quote:
Here's a link with photos of different types of hardware cloth.

http://www.twpinc.com/twpinc/control/category/~category_id=TWPCAT_14

If you use the small hole type even snakes can't get in but they can get through chicken wire.

ok thanks, as far as snakes go all we really have is garder snakes, and size wise theyd get right thru i think..lol
but ill be keeping this stuff in mind, that will be the next step in my mini chicken fort knox..lol