Garter snake & Jersey giant

[LadyKjo]

Although I am under the belief that garter snakes are pretty harmless to chickens, we get some that are about 2 1/2 - 3 foot long as I live near a lake and woods. This morning I heard my 4 chickens squawking their heads off. I ran out of the house to see my Jersey Giant tussling with a pretty big garter snake, almost 3 foot long. She got the better of the snake, but I noticed the snake striking the Jersey several times by the time I could get close enough to get the two separated. Then my jersey girl decided that I was not a good chicken mommy and refused to let me come near her to check her out. So far, she seemed okay, and I just went out to check on her and she's in the nest box, laying. I don't want to traumatize her by grabbing her out of the nest box, but should I be worried about garter snake bites? Do they have some toxicity when they bite that might affect a chicken? Or should I just check her and put some antiseptic on whatever wounds she may have, if any?

I am not sure yet if the snake actually bit her, but by the time I got out there, the snake looked like it was striking a few times in succession, which just made my jersey get all riled up and peck the heck out of it before i stuck a broom between the two of them and allowed the snake to slither off. I just found it dead outside the fence when I looked for it.

I barely managed to check the Jersey, she's missing a few feathers on her underbelly, but I didn't see any punctures, although she was really not happy about me trying to check her out and struggled so much I couldn't check her as thoroughly as I would have liked. But for future reference, is there a danger with these bigger garter snakes?

 

[JackE]

No danger. Sounds like the chicken had a snake lunch in mind, but the snake wasn't having it. I've seen my birds gang up on a snake, kill and eat it. Your snake was probably just a bit too big for one hen to handle. Garter snakes have small teeth. I doubt the snake even made contact with the hen's skin, through the feathers.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Although I am under the belief that garter snakes are pretty harmless to chickens, we get some that are about 2 1/2 - 3 foot long as I live near a lake and woods. This morning I heard my 4 chickens squawking their heads off. I ran out of the house to see my Jersey Giant tussling with a pretty big garter snake, almost 3 foot long. She got the better of the snake, but I noticed the snake striking the Jersey several times by the time I could get close enough to get the two separated. Then my jersey girl decided that I was not a good chicken mommy and refused to let me come near her to check her out. So far, she seemed okay, and I just went out to check on her and she's in the nest box, laying. I don't want to traumatize her by grabbing her out of the nest box, but should I be worried about garter snake bites? Do they have some toxicity when they bite that might affect a chicken? Or should I just check her and put some antiseptic on whatever wounds she may have, if any?

I am not sure yet if the snake actually bit her, but by the time I got out there, the snake looked like it was striking a few times in succession, which just made my jersey get all riled up and peck the heck out of it before i stuck a broom between the two of them and allowed the snake to slither off. I just found it dead outside the fence when I looked for it.

I barely managed to check the Jersey, she's missing a few feathers on her underbelly, but I didn't see any punctures, although she was really not happy about me trying to check her out and struggled so much I couldn't check her as thoroughly as I would have liked. But for future reference, is there a danger with these bigger garter snakes?

But chickens are not harmless to garter shakes.
Your hen is just POed because you interrupted her heard earned brunch. I my experience any garter snake up to 24 inches long is in immediate danger of being lunch, instead of doing lunch with your chickens. Let your chickens be chickens, that's what Back Yard Chicken husbandry is all about.
My motto is "permissum garter snake caveo"

..... ie. Latin for let the garter snakes beware.

 

[LadyKjo]

Good to know. I guess I am just paranoid as I saw it striking at her and it was on the larger side. We also have eastern rattlesnakes- we rarely see them, but once in a while we find one and usually let it go on its way, so when I saw a snake striking from a distance, I was thinking the worst. Then I started thinking- could a garter cause damage? I guess not against a giant chicken- she was pretty vicious.

I have to admit, it was interesting to see her go at it. And you are right, she was P'Od at me for breaking up her fun/treat time I made up for it by giving her some meal worms. Thanks for the replies!

 

[aart]

Good to know. I guess I am just paranoid as I saw it striking at her and it was on the larger side. We also have eastern rattlesnakes- we rarely see them, but once in a while we find one and usually let it go on its way, so when I saw a snake striking from a distance, I was thinking the worst. Then I started thinking- could a garter cause damage? I guess not against a giant chicken- she was pretty vicious.

I have to admit, it was interesting to see her go at it. And you are right, she was P'Od at me for breaking up her fun/treat time I made up for it by giving her some meal worms. Thanks for the replies!

Should have given her the garter snake!

 

[coffeecluck]

I would still check her over for any bite marks due to the bacteria that snakes can carry. it not being poisonous is great but infection could be just a deadly.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Good to know. I guess I am just paranoid as I saw it striking at her and it was on the larger side. We also have eastern rattlesnakes- we rarely see them, but once in a while we find one and usually let it go on its way, so when I saw a snake striking from a distance, I was thinking the worst. Then I started thinking- could a garter cause damage? I guess not against a giant chicken- she was pretty vicious.

I have to admit, it was interesting to see her go at it. And you are right, she was P'Od at me for breaking up her fun/treat time....

I have sometimes wondered if T=Rex picked up his food and tenderized it by whacking it on the ground, hen style.