First predator and a kill

[SobbaChickens]

As in I killed IT!!!

Predators - 0 Katie - 1

Went to lock the chickens in tonight and while walking around the corner of the garage I noticed one of the cats was acting strangely near the railroad ties around the chicken run. Sure enough I saw a big giant black tail sticking out of the corner. I went and picked my shovel and stood waiting for it's head to appear inside the run. Finally it starting peaking out and I took my first whack, which probably was a direct kill considering I thought I broke my wrist lol but better safe than sorry so I took a few more whacks before rolling the railroad tie. Took forever to get it carried away because it got caught in my deer netting so I ended up having to get way way way to close for comfort to cut the deer netting away. I'll admit though I'm super freaked out now. To get to the chicken coop I have to walk in between the chicken run and the dog fence, basically 2-2.5ft apart, a very confined area. I think from now on I'm going to be jump/running though

And no one better start the whole "black snakes are our friends" blah blah blah.

I hate snakes, all snakes, but I only kill if I have to.

Are there any real ways to keep snakes away?

 

[txnative]

Good job!

 

[Jakoda]

your braver than I I had an 8 fter, looking in my front door last week, and when I say looking, this thing was looking IN my FULL screened porch door, nose to nose with my aussie who was doing 'nothing',,My gsd wanted it, I slammed the door , the thing was way to active for me...it moved to my kitchen door area, I threw a brick at it, it started to go under my vehicle, now I'm having paranoid delusions of it getting IN my vehicle, so I pick up this 4ft bear statue I had, chucked it, missed, broke the bear statue to smithereens.

Just then the husband pulls in, YEP he says, THATS A BIG ONE! I'm like GET RID OF IT! By the time he got a rake to relocate it, it was in our woodpile

Ok, next day I come home from errands, the thing is sprawled across my kitchen porch, Now I'm freakin out, I called him at work, made him come home and took the thing to the next town over the river

It wasn't near my chicken area, and my chick run isn't called Fort Pox for nothing...I just don't want them staringin my front door, especially 8 fters

 

[Shellz]

Yikes! Glad we don't get those!
Bravo for killing it though. Nothing is more satisfying than protecting your flock, yourself.

 

[Sparrow]

Katie, two points. One, this is a social forum open to all opinions, so you will likely hear it from someone that you didn't need to kill it. Normally that person would be me, but I am growing weary around here of the staunchly defended mentality that the only good snake is a dead snake because they are too scary looking to try to deal with in any other way. I come here mostly these days to help educate about dealing with snakes, identification, relocation, realistic threat(and lack thereof), and to dispel all the old wives tales that are all a waste of money, time, and effort. There are those who would love to find a snake like the one you killed, a large Black Rat Snake, and you need to understand that some people are not so fond of reading these posts over and over again. Believe me, I have known for a long time that the world in general will never come to accept snakes, let alone enjoy them, but all I hope to do is educate about them at every opportunity and hope that it catches on in at least a few people. It is a shame that that old survivor wasn't relocated to live out the rest of his life away from trouble. After all reptiles are not capable of becoming wantonly murderous pests the way mammalian predators are.

 

[SobbaChickens]

Katie, two points. One, this is a social forum open to all opinions, so you will likely hear it from someone that you didn't need to kill it. Normally that person would be me, but I am growing weary around here of the staunchly defended mentality that the only good snake is a dead snake because they are too scary looking to try to deal with in any other way. I come here mostly these days to help educate about dealing with snakes, identification, relocation, realistic threat(and lack thereof), and to dispel all the old wives tales that are all a waste of money, time, and effort. There are those who would love to find a snake like the one you killed, a large Black Rat Snake, and you need to understand that some people are not so fond of reading these posts over and over again. Believe me, I have known for a long time that the world in general will never come to accept snakes, let alone enjoy them, but all I hope to do is educate about them at every opportunity and hope that it catches on in at least a few people. It is a shame that that old survivor wasn't relocated to live out the rest of his life away from trouble. After all reptiles are not capable of becoming wantonly murderous pests the way mammalian predators are.

Well I'd suggest not responding to posts where your opinion is obviously not wanted ("And no one better start the whole "black snakes are our friends" blah blah blah.

I hate snakes, all snakes, but I only kill if I have to."), and as you said it's a social forum and therefore I don't believe anyone is required to post

 

[SobbaChickens]

Yikes! Glad we don't get those!
Bravo for killing it though. Nothing is more satisfying than protecting your flock, yourself.

You're right about that! I can deal with black snakes but during haying we killed a copperhead in the field just right behind my house.

 

[Shellz]

Whoa, too close!

Up here, I've only ever seen one small harmless garter snake. Only been here 4 years though. I don't mind the small & harmless, but a large snake that could eat eggs +/or chicks, would not be a fan of mine. I haven't researched the outcomes of snake relocation - don't know if I would be comfortable handling one, in that instance. Easier to just quickly end it, IMO. Having said that, its never been an issue here. As long as its not an endangered species, no worries. I do know mammal relocation doesn't work. We only kill when necessary. Usually a small number, as we have 2 dogs to protect the flock as well.

I would like to hear other opinions on this matter. An interesting topic.

 

[baseballchick]

I have something getting my chickens, not sure what exactly yet. It's scouting though because as soon as the dogs came up for water it got them.

I think things can be relocated, but I do think its ok to kill to save your own as well. After all, they are killing to begin with.

Survival of the fittest, and we as humans (and flock protectors ) happen to be on top!

 

[SobbaChickens]

Yesterday I ended up spending a bit of time reading up on the other snakes common in my area, I only know of black snakes, copperheads, rattlesnakes, and the little garter snakes. I wanted to get an idea of what they look like, I think being surprised by them is the worst part, you don't see the little freaks until you're right on them.

Last year my brother and I were out attempting to lure a stray cat into the carrier and realized that the cat was rubbing on the ground right on top of a small garter snake. Now my brother is even worse about snakes than I am so it died pretty quick but I even felt bad (shocker) it obviously was harmless and didn't seem to care that the cat was rubbing on it, it was actually kind of funny.

I personally am not ever relocating anything. I do plan on buying a small machete for future snake issues though, I know that sounds horrible but all I had this time was a dull shovel and even I felt bad after awhile, I don't want to make anything suffer.


edited for grammar