Eggs due to hatch tomorrow vanished

[SnackMeat]

We all enjoy nice walks after big meals

 

[tlcmurphy]

He

He will definitely be moving

Sorry you lost the babies to him

 

[McChooky]

Poor littles never had a chance! I hope you find some baby chicks to replace the ones he ate! Did you get rid of Mr Snake?

 

[Jtaranc]

Poor littles never had a chance! I hope you find some baby chicks to replace the ones he ate! Did you get rid of Mr Snake?

Yes. I was trying to be gentle with him because he did have a full belly. He jumped through the wall of the coop and I had to remove the back walls to get him. He was relocated to the back of our farm in a pretty creek we have. Plenty to eat back there.

If I didn’t have a bunch of baby chicks running around I would’ve just put him in the barn but that’s too close for comfort. That’s where he usually stays.

I introduced broody mom to the tractor baby chicks and she immediately went biserk, screamed and began tossing her. She has 1 egg under her from my elderly barred rock. We’ll see if it hatches today or tomorrow, if not I’ll break her from being broody. She does come out and eat and drink.

So now I’m raising baby chicks I didn’t need or want

The snake was a big boy. Probably 6-8 years old.

 

[crowe66]

Unless you relocated the snake far far away he will probably be back.

 

[Jtaranc]

Unless you relocated the snake far far away he will probably be back.

The area we put him in is probably about 15 acres away. He’d have to hike a good distance. Our farm from the day we moved in has had lots of black snakes. More than likely a different one will be back before he. We’re gonna work on the coop this weekend and try and screen the spaces between the coop supports and metal roof.

I have lots of animals here. Livestock guardians, horses, goats, sheep and donkeys. I much prefer black snakes inhabiting the land than copperheads. Venomous bites are costly to treat. I work in an animal ER and Tuesday night alone we saw 3 copperhead bites.

I do believe snakes don’t move into areas already inhabited by other snakes. So I’d like the black snakes to stay.

 

[Anon112]

I do believe snakes don’t move into areas already inhabited by other snakes. So I’d like the black snakes to stay.

I really appreciate the gentle and respectful way you treated that snake. I'm really sorry for the loss of your eggs.

 

[crowe66]

Awesome sounds like you have a great homestead.
I know what ya mean about the copperheads. Found this fella last spring.