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

[d.k]

* YOU GOT BITTEN?!? OMG!! ARE YOU O.K.? HAVE YOU GONE TO THE HOSPITAL?? You may need and antibiotic, or a tetanus shot, even though the creature apparently wasn't venomous!! Please take care of that bite!!!!!!!

 

[chicknhawaii]

I read this earlier and was "speechless"...I am so sorry for your losses BUT - and this isn't very nice - I am glad you snagged the culprit. It's sad to have such predators around, hard to remember that we all play different roles in the grand scheme of life when something like this happens in our backyards...

You keep on caring for your gang, you're a great chicken mommy! MUCH luck to you and yes, take care of that bite!

 

[dlhunicorn]

I sure did like that first pic

(so sorry about your loss)

I have heard to put mothballs around the coop.

Do NOT use mothballs anywhere around your birds >>> the fumes are toxic to them.​

 

[talos321]

Wow that is horrible. Sorry for your loss. Everytime I read one of these I go outside to make sure my chicks are ok.

 

[Chickaroo!]

UGHH!!! I simply HATE snakes

I've heard that guinea hens eat snakes. Maybe you could get some of those. Also I've seen on another post about keeping snakes away from your coop that some use that stuff called Snake Away. I've seen it at Home Depot.

 

[ronshoney]

I am so sorry for your loss.

Hardware cloth would be the best for the brooder, that's what we put on ours and nothing gets through it. The snake won't be able to fit and it is a heavier gauge so things can't chew thru the wire either.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Put a couple golf balls in the nest. The snake will eat them, not be able to digest or pass them and will die. I haven't tried this but have heard quiet a few people claim it worked great for them.

 

[GallowayFarms]

Yup i would use window screening or hardware cloth. You can get it made in either nylon or aluminum. get the aluminum. And if you can put your brooder up off the floor and in an area around your older chickens. The older chickens will attack the snake if they see it.

Make sure you keep the grass around your coop as short as possible.

There is a product called snake away. It is safer than the moth balls in my opinion.

And lastly. Go down to your local hardware store and get a can or three of Great Stuff. It is an expanding foam. Walk around your coop and fill every hole you see.

Do you have a dirt floor? I had a dirt floor and I ended up pouring a 2" concrete floor to keep the rodents from digging into my coop from the outside.

I hope this helps.

Cheers and best wishes

Nick

 

[Oblio13]

I like snakes, but I like cute blondes who aren't squeamish even better...

I think it's a rat snake, too, although the markings are a bit unusual. To bad it didn't stick to the rats around your coop.

Don't worry about the bite. Rat snakes defend themselves pretty aggressively, but the bites aren't venomous or particularly prone to infection.

 

[SandyC]

That is just TOO gross!!!!!!!

I'm sorry for your loss!