got my chicks today.. and now they are dead.. GRAPHIC PICTURES

[augiedranch]

Quote:
why didnt i cut its head off?? it was pitch dark outside. i live in the middle of nowhere. it was during a tornado/thunderstorm watch so it was raining EXTREMELY hard. i didnt have a shovel with me at that split second, nor could i even see that well once i got him out of the brooder. and i didnt think enough to pick him up and politely carry him to where i had a shovel,, then position him in the right spot on the ground, then get a light and shine it on him so i could see, then shop his head off..
after i hit him once on the head and stunned him, i did run and get a shovel and started to try to cut him in two. however, with as much rain as their was all it was doing was pushing against him and squishing him into the mudd, and not cutting into him at all, i tried as hard as i could and it was just doing more harm than good. thats when i picked up another piece of wood and hit him twice more on the head killing him.

so thats why i didnt just chop his head off.


and about relocating. i have tried that before. they come back. and also,, if i had choose to relocate him at that time.. .. i would have put him in a cage, he would have had no water. or anything. he would have sat there for a while. because of the storm it would have been stupid to drive in it. then by next morning when the storm stopped i would have used and wasted alot of diesel getting him somewhere. hopefully not getting bit in the process of releasing him. and

then when i dropped him off, he could become a problem to someone eles. or put somewhere that he doesnt know where he is, and get injured or killed trying to slither around in search of a familiar scent. so really,, just ending the problem in the first place seems like a good enough thing for me... ive tried relocating many times,, and they come back. or i waste my time and fuel trying to drop them off somewhere eles..

 

[HaleMoa]

wow this whole account is amazing. our meanest predator here is the neighbors cat. a SNAKE? you got bit!? you clubbed it to death with scrap wood after trying to shop its head off with a shovel... in a THUNDERSTORM?!?!

i'm sooo sorry for your loss, but that is some story. i hope every things all right now and your chickens coop is nice and predator proof.

 

[packinaglock]

<-----Does not like snakes at all, I seem to recall something from the bible about the serpant that talked Eve into eating the apple was cursed to forever crawl on it's belly and to send fear into man who will trample it under foot. (something like that)

 

[DomiHentrix]

Has anyone ever tried this? :

http://www.snakestop.com/

It says all natural, my gut is that is most likely contains either cedar oil or ash bark oil. I know that cedar chips cause a chemical reaction that is bad for chickens, however the cedar oil should be fine. I would get the essential oil and apply it neat (no dilution) a few drops on each side of the brooder and rub it on with a cloth. Not sure if it will help but it is worth ad try and is most likely less expensive than the above Snake Stop.

 

[Shared Acres]

Ugh that's horrible!

 

[MagsC]

I have never been a big fan of snakes....especially since when we lived in Texas I had to crawl under the house and kill rattlesnakes.(Our house was basically a shack, I had five little kids, the rattlesnakes were actually crawling into parts of the house. My husband was on the road and there was no $ for an exterminator. LOL, sorry for rambling...Texas was quite an experience.)
Ugh. I would be SO angry when I saw what that snake was doing, the sadness would hit after. I am glad you got it, at least thats something, right?

 

[packinaglock]

Quote:
You ma'am are a very brave soul, I can't see myself crawling under a house and killing rattlesnakes. At 5' 11 210lbs I have been lifting weights since I was 16 and Im 46 now and I really think that if I crawled under a house and came across a rattlesnake I would be running and screaming like a little girl.

 

[TheNewMrsEvans]

I like snakes too, had pet ones, but cut her some slack...she was shocked and sad...i would have killed it too!
I always have my chickies in the house...this proves stinky chicks in the laundry room is the only way to go.
I'm very sorry he got so many...especially pretty little JGs...i hope the ones you have left do well. (and no more snakes!)

 

[spook]

Hardware cloth. So sorry to hear of your loss, what a terrible thing to have to deal with. If its not hawks, dogs, cats, humans, its the racoons and snakes. Wow. Just horrible for you.
Hugs to you. The other thing is to put your chicks in a kiddy pool and insulate wire around that edge below the rim and put the electric fencer on. You and others would have to be careful too, no one likes a good jolt.

 

[MagsC]

packinaglock,lol, well as a parent you do what you HAVE to do not exactly whats easy.

I like the kiddy pool and electric fencer idea, I think that would keep a snake out for sure!