Fed chickens a snake

[sourland]

To be fair, your name isn't Careful Planning Land.

Seriously funny - I applaud both the OP and you for great senses of humor.

 

[JenniferKrull]

Here's where to clarify "poisonous" vs. "venomous", because a lot of people on this thread are confusing the two. "Venomous" is when something bites you and you die or get sick/hurt. "Poisonous" is when you eat something (you bite it) and die or get sick. Snakes are venomous. With most snakes, their venom has to enter the blood stream to be effective. I don't know about this particular variety of snake, but I imagine if the chickens enjoyed eating it, then it's just fine. If it's the kind of venom that can affect a creature simply by coming into contact with it, then that could clearly be dangerous to chickens. I would at least lop off the head before giving it to them.

 

[IronFeather]

To my knowledge, a poisonous snake does not have poison in it's body. The poison sacks are in the snakes head behind it's fangs. As for not feeding meat to chickens; I've always given the carcass from the Holiday bird or roasted chicken to my flock. They will clean it down to the bone. I've also seen them eat mice and catch frogs in mid jump...down the gullet they go. Chickens are not strictly veggiesauruses.

 

[TillenaV]

Are gartner snakes poisonous? I dont care about meat issue right now(I think my kitchen scraps would be more or a problem) just poisonous eggs

Garter snakes are nonpoisionous.

 

[TillenaV]

My husband whipper snipped a brown snake today. I told him to feed it to the chickens. My initial thoughts were that I wanted them to kill and eat any babies that they saw. Anyway they all loved it. However when I told my mother she was worried and didn’t think I would be able to eat the eggs or that the chicken would die because they are so poisonous. I didn’t even think of this... they are all still alive several hours later, so I’m guessing they will live but will the eggs be alright?

I am pretty sure that venom won't pass into your hens eggs. Perhaps it is an "old wives tale". People here eat rattlesnakes and by just eating the meat, no venom is eaten. Venom is stored in a sack above the fangs, not in the meat or body of the snake.

 

[Foxinthehenhouse]

Just my 2 cents, as long as the snake didn't bite the chickens I don't think you have anything to worry about. I would like to point out though chickens aren't really supposed to have meat in their diet other than bugs if avoidable. Although, I'm no biologist.

Where did you read that chickens shouldn’t eat meat? Everything I’ve read says that that can and the protein is especially good when molting.

 

[Sea Wolf]

Eggs will be fine, birds will be fine. Snakes are nutritious. No such thing as poisonous eggs from a bird that ate a snake. Even if a venomous one, snake venom is only toxic when injected into the bloodstream (bitten). Let them worry and eat all the eggs you want. All the more for you.

 

[allanb]

Chickens are omnivores. Snakes will eat eggs. I'd make sure the snake is dead either way.

 

[ellend]

Garter snakes are definitely not poisonous.
Re: feeding a poisonous snake to chickens: If they are not bitten, and the snakes head is discarded, there can be no poisoning of the birds or their eggs. All the poison is in the venom sacs at the base of the fangs. Be very careful handling "dead" poisonous snakes; the biting reflex can last for some time.

 

[Lilyput]

Just my 2 cents, as long as the snake didn't bite the chickens I don't think you have anything to worry about. I would like to point out though chickens aren't really supposed to have meat in their diet other than bugs if avoidable. Although, I'm no biologist.

I've always fed my chickens table scraps on top of all flock, calf manna, scratch, and fermented feed, and of course oyster shell. Those scraps include chicken which they love! What's the difference between "bug" protein and "meat" protein?