Getting Rid Of Snakes-Please Help!!!!!

[MadamPoofyBrow]

So here's the deal.
Last year, I was one of those people who left the snakes alone. They came, they ate a few eggs, they left. They kept the rats away, and life went on.
This year, they were still taking my eggs. One snagged a baby chick. Okay, my bad, it shouldn't have been in where the snake could get it.
Then, I went up one day to find one of my broody hens, who hadn't been sitting on anything, so I hadn't moved her to the snake proof pen I built after the chick got gotten. She was pulled out of the loft, and her head had been swallowed by a snake. It was still intact, but really, really gross.
This morning, it happened again with a large cockerel.
So the snake's not just taking eggs anymore. And not even chickens it can eat. It's trying things it can't accomplish and killing my chickens

These are not production chickens, these are my pets, and I want the snake gone.
I have seen one a couple times that's about six feet. She's a black rat snake, and I haven't been able to catch her.
So here's my question: what can I put out to catch or poison the snake? I will settle for repellent, but would rather have guaranteed success.
We have already gotten four black snakes this year, and yet there's another.
Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Folly's place]

So sorry! I want wildlife to prosper too, but not at the expense of my critters! I don't know if it's legal or useful to move the snake elsewhere, and certainly not anywhere near humans and their poultry, because he's learned about chickens. Call your DNR about that. Otherwise, go into hawk protection mode; lock your birds in their predator proof coop and run for at least two to three weeks, to discourage him. A live big live trap might work. How about the pet snake people, maybe they would have good ideas. Mary

 

[MadamPoofyBrow]

Thanks for your response!
I tried moving three of them last year, and they somehow showed back up. We know because one was missing a large section of scales, the other the tip of it's tail, and the last one we just guessed cause he showed up when the other two did.
I have never been for killing snakes, but we have twice this year...they're just not as harmless as they once seemed.
We have been going up every time we hear the chickens doing their alarm call, and it's usually just a hawk.
The only problem is I only have three snake proof chicken tractors that I use for chicks. With about ninety chickens, they're not all gonna fit.
I am not scared of snakes, so I have tried catching her on multiple occasions. She's just way too fast and can fit in crazily small spaces.
Is there such a thing as a snke hunter? You know how you can hire like...bear hunters or whatever? We are about to go on vacation and I really don't want my farm sitter to happen up on something like what happened this morning

 

[ConPollos]

There are snake traps, try Googling for them.

I'm trying a new repellant called Snake Stopper that was tested against the brown snakes on Guam. It's at TSC.

There are pest removal companies that remove snakes.

The first time I found one in my coop I killed it because I read that they do kill chickens, and my neighbor had lost a chick to one.

 

[carolinasculpture]

We are having trouble with raccoons and snakes this year! For the snakes, in the past, I got rid of anything that mice would enjoy, the wood chips on the roost, floor and nest boxes. Put down plastic, fake grass in the nest boxes, Sweet PZD on the floor and roost, cleaned the whole coop, checked for any remaining snakes. Purchased Snake Stopper and put it down everywhere. Hadn't had any more snakes until this summer (that was 3 summers ago). This summer we moved the coop, I guess I need to start all over again. Good luck!

 

[ConPollos]

Covering every gap in the coop with 1/4" mesh hardware cloth bolted on with screws and washers will keep everything out. Make it go a couple of feet under ground around the outside walls so nothing can dig inder the copp and cpme through the floor. Those plastic mouse and rat bait stations will work too.

 

[HeritageGoose13]

This sounds easy to make.

1) Garlic Mixture

Garlic mixtures are effective as snake repellents. You can either get them commercially such as Snake Stopper or make your own.
Here are the ingredients to make your own garlic mixture:

1. 10 garlic bulbs (purple ones are best as they are very potent)
2. Four table spoons of garlic oil or any other vegetable oil.
3. Some water

Preparation:

1. Take a blender and add some water.
2. Separate the garlic into cloves and add them to the blender.
3. Start blending it until a smooth nice paste is formed, then add the oil.
4. Leave the mixture in a plastic container for an hour with the lid on.
5. Now it’s ready, and place a few drops in any area you don’t want snakes to be seen. Repeat the process after it rains.
6. The effectiveness of the mixture usually lasts for three weeks, then you will need to make a new batch.

Got it from this website, there are other snake-repellant methods and recipes here, including plants to you plant that snakes hate:

http://www.hibiscuscoastseconds.co.za/natural-ways-repel-snakes/

 

[ConPollos]

This sounds easy to make.
1) Garlic Mixture

Garlic mixtures are effective as snake repellents. You can either get them commercially such as Snake Stopper or make your own. Here are the ingredients to make your own garlic mixture:

1. 10 garlic bulbs (purple ones are best as they are very potent)
2. Four table spoons of garlic oil or any other vegetable oil.
3. Some water

Preparation:

1. Take a blender and add some water.
2. Separate the garlic into cloves and add them to the blender.
3. Start blending it until a smooth nice paste is formed, then add the oil.
4. Leave the mixture in a plastic container for an hour with the lid on.
5. Now it’s ready, and place a few drops in any area you don’t want snakes to be seen. Repeat the process after it rains.
6. The effectiveness of the mixture usually lasts for three weeks, then you will need to make a new batch.

Got it from this website, there are other snake-repellant methods and recipes here, including plants to you plant that snakes hate: http://www.hibiscuscoastseconds.co.za/natural-ways-repel-snakes/

Snake Stopper is cinnamon oil and cedar oil in a base of powdwered sulphur. I could be wrong but I don't recall garlic on the list. You only havento apply it every 30 days ecen if it rains because the oils don't wash away.

 

[HeritageGoose13]

Yes, the link has some more info on cinnamon oil.

 

[ConPollos]

Yes, the link has some more info on cinnamon oil.

Snake Stopper is only $14.95 for a big jug of it at TSC or Wal-Mart, and it's well worth it, so far. I saw a small brown snake slither onto the wide band of it I'd poured next to my run, and instead of crossing it he went down the middle of it for about a foot and then quickly turned and left the area.

The link says sulphur powder is not effective, but it is.

Also, I've had good luck in the past with throwing moth balls under my house to keep all critters out.