Did the unmowed grass foreclosed home bring the snakes or the chicks?

[Mskayladog]

We are in the country and their acreage bumps up to our back acreage where I have the chicks.
And since it's fore closed on no one is mowing the lawn and today I was watching python hunters on tv with my daughter and glanced at the side window and there is a big ole snake looking in at us. It was climbing the side of the house.
We have not seen snakes here before. I hate snakes. How can I snake proof the coop?

 

[speckledhen]

Any holes larger than 1/2" hardware cloth must be closed up on your coop for when they're locked inside. Snakes hide in tall grass, of course. Chicks didn't bring snakes, but they will take the opportunity of the tall grass to sneak in there and take some chicken nuggets.

Just because you haven't seen snakes doesn't mean they weren't there.

 

[Stacykins]

For every snake you see, a bunch more go unseen. And while the long grass gives better cover, it it was mown, you'd still have snakes on your land. Just like you have wild birds, the other critters are there too.

If your chicken feed was attracting a lot of rodents (a possibility), then snakes would be attracted to the rodents. They're doing you a very good service if they are eating rodents.

 

[Stumpy]

We have lots of snakes where I live so it's something I have had to get used to. Actually, I don't think I'll ever get quite used to almost stepping on a venomous snake, even though it's happened more than once. Because of that, as well as other predators, my run and coop have nothing but 1/2" hardware cloth. Also, I don't leave feed in the run, but only the coop.

We also use two snake repellants, Ropel and Snake Away. I have also stopped feeding birds at bird feeders, which increases the rodent population and attracts more snakes.

 

[Kikiriki]

Has anyone made a deep feeder?

I was reading a blog yesterday and the guy said he recommends not using typical feeders for the chickens because they are too shallow and they toss a lot of food out. He said he made his own deep feeder and it stopped spillage.

After just two months with chickens I have to agree there is a lot of spillage. I found an ant trail under the hanging feeder yesterday and moved the feeder. Im treating the fire ants with sevin dust. I have the hanging round flow through type feeder, and i think i am going to make a homemade alternative. If ants are finding the fallen food, then rats and mice are sure to find it, and snakes will follow them. I take the feeder in the house every night.

Any ideas, folks?

 

[Stumpy]

I think I have seen a home-made feeder like that recently, but have no idea where to tell you to look. It seems that you could make one using one of the sort of deep dish potted plant drainer things.

 

[Wisher1000]

Maybe something like this?



Five gallon bucket with lid from Lowes, a 1/4" nut and bolt(1 1/2" long) and two large fender washers and an aluminum feed pan from TSC. I cut four slots, 3" wide and 1 1/2" high in the side at the bottom. It was real easy and hold about 30 pounds of layer pellets or chick starter. The hens won't bill the pellets out and the chicks hop over into the trough and stand in the food.