Cottonmouth in chicken pen

kyle1380

Hatching
8 Years
Sep 2, 2011
3
0
7
I live in the deep woods of the Florida Panhandle. My wife and I have a fenced off garden back in a natural clearing in the woods. In that garden, we have a big hen house (with it's own run), covered on top with fencing, triple fenced, buried fence, 2x12's in the ground, brick floor........etc. Predator proof............so I thought. Went out at midnight to check on the girls tonight and almost stepped on a large Cottonmouth right inside the door of the pen. I shot it. Anyway........are there any suggestions about prevention before I go buy $100 worth of 1/4 inch chicken wire. In addition, I know it was there for eggs, will the hens try to fight off a snake if confronted or keep their distance?
 
There a lot of home remedies for keeping snakes away, but I think the only for sure way is the buy the wire. If I was in your position I would rather spend the $100 tomorrow then wake up one morning to find dead hens.
 
Can you run a low electric wire around where it came in ?? We have rattles here but long ago I lived in Florida so have seen cottonmouths.I know on here I was reading a post where the chikens were eating baby cottonmouths big grown up version would be to big. I lost a banty hen to a large bullsnake.He had eaten two of her babies she must of put up a fight
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Her son grew up to be a fighter! Other than this, buy the wire and secure your pen !! and watch your step Please
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I have had a lot of success with Dr T's Snake Away. I would not sprinkle it in the run Or any where your flock is likely to free range, but it seems to keep snakes away. Never used it for cottonmouths, but it works great on diamondbacks. You can pick it up at home depot or lowes.
 
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I'm over here halfway between Tallahassee and Panama City and we just went ahead and used hardware cloth to keep the snakes out. Yesterday my daughter came in the front yard just in time to see a black snake dart under the house. I have o shamo in a pen made out of 2x4 wire but we wrapped two foot of hardware cloth around the bottom to help keep the snakes out. I have a problem with copperheads also.
sharon
 
Thank you for all your help. We went ahead and completely sealed off the door, pen and run. I also have a 1 foot area around the bottom of the house that is fenced all around (to spray out the house with a hose).......that got the wire too x3. My wife and I have no idea what (if anything) can get in there. One of you asked what I shot it with. I always carry a handgun of some sort around there at night. I've been surprised by bears when I've walked out my door and I know I'm gonna find one snooping around the pen some night. Lots of big coyotes too. I hated to shoot the snake or anything for that matter. But, it wasn't in there to make friends and if I re-located it on the property somewhere.......it would have just come back. Beautiful snake.........I felt horrible.

Thank you all again...........
 

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