Coaxing a snake

[jolly wattles]

We have a snake that lives under the coop. My wife sees him in the nest box occasionally eating a egg but she afraid of snakes. And he's never out when I'm home. Any ideas how to coax him out so I can dispatch it? She's afraid it will fatten up and harm a chicken lol.

 

[Hybridchucks]

lol i have no idea! cud you move hen house?

 

[Hybridchucks]

is that a possibility? moving the hen house....

 

[centrarchid]

I doubt any snakes in your area will pose a threat to adult chickens. Periodic loss of eggs likely to be offset by reduction in mice that degrade your buildings and eat feed.

 

[jolly wattles]

is that a possibility? moving the hen house....

No. It's a converted shed attached to a secured run. It basically sits on the ground with about a 2 inch clearance. I'm pretty sure it won't harm a chicken but I'm tired of hearing my wife freaked out when she egg gathers.

 

[centrarchid]

Pretend like snake is a dragon and give it a "virgin" egg so it will not molest the "kingdom" henhouse. I assume snake goes somewhere else to process a large meal rather than sit in nest between meals. Problem with that approach is snake may have worked out where it's honey hole for eggs is located.

 

[jolly wattles]

Pretend like snake is a dragon and give it a "virgin" egg so it will not molest the "kingdom" henhouse. I assume snake goes somewhere else to process a large meal rather than sit in nest between meals. Problem with that approach is snake may have worked out where it's honey hole for eggs is located.

He ignores the fake eggs in the nests. Hens seem to ignore him too. The lay in the nests box right beside him. Lol

 

[centrarchid]

Give snake a real egg, not a fake. If snake feeds in only first nest it encounters with an egg, then block of so wife and hens can not get into it and have an egg there all the time to distract the dragon. That could serve as snakes feeding station your wife knows to avoid until she works up confidence to handle snake herself. Work on getting her to photograph snake for ID.

 

[NorthTexasWink]

After the snake has been spotted eating an egg and then left, secure your coop so it cannot get back in. 1/2 inch hardware cloth, fill all gaps, etc. Previous poster is correct in saying the snake likely moves elsewhere to digest it's meal. Depending on the size of the snake, they often eat more than one egg at a meal. I've watched them and it IS fascinating. Your hens might be much better layers than you thought! Egg eating snakes will usually take chicks as well, given the chance. Secure that coop!

My late Grandaddy Ray used to put a yard-wide dusting of caliche dust mixed with ground dried hot chili peppers around his hen house to deter all manner of pests and predators. He swore it stopped ants, snakes, scorpions and such. Said they don't like crawling over the powder and the hot pepper dust burns them. I admit that I've never tried it myself. It rains where I live, unlike Grandaddy's west Texas farm.

Give your fraidy wifey a sharpened snake shovel. Keep it near where she sees the snake. If she gets worked up enough at that snake, she might just get it. Good luck!

 

[GGBEAR]

I would probably be whittling to my hubby over the snake but I would probably take a pic to ID then grab it out if not poisonous