Got the baby-chick eater!!

[Love2Homeschool]

On Sunday night our baby chicks disappeared. Well, 3 disappeared, the fourth was still in the pen with mama, but he was dead. Also missing were 2 of the 5 ceramic eggs I had placed in the nest boxes hoping to kill the snake that I suspected was stealing eggs. I'm still really sad about the babies, but today, we got the rotten snake!

I went out to feed the chickens this morning and noticed an egg on the ground near the tree. It was still wet, so I thought one of the hens had *just* laid it and wondered why they laid it there. As I went to pick it up I noticed another one. And then I noticed they had the X on the end and knew they were the missing ceramic eggs. I looked up and saw slime hanging from a hole about 8-10 feet up on the tree.

We got a big ladder and sure enough, there he was. Now he is a dead snake. Hopefully he was a loner and didn't have any friends hanging around. I can't see any more snakes in the hole. I'm just SO glad he is dead!

When my daughter picked him up by the middle with his tail and nose touching the ground, she held his middle at her waist. That means he was about 6 feet long.

Anyone know what kind he was?

 

[jksranch]

It looks like a bull snake or rat snake. We have them every where here. I've been hunting one for about a month. He has eaten 5 golf balls and finally is leaving the eggs alone. Hopefully I will find him dead somewhere around here.

 

[Ted n Ms]

It's a rat snake. Here in Mississippi they are mostly called a "chicken snake".

 

[Love2Homeschool]

It's a rat snake. Here in Mississippi they are mostly called a "chicken snake".

That's what I thought it was. I've heard them called both. Thanks!

 

[Love2Homeschool]

It looks like a bull snake or rat snake. We have them every where here. I've been hunting one for about a month. He has eaten 5 golf balls and finally is leaving the eggs alone. Hopefully I will find him dead somewhere around here.

I had heard that the ceramic eggs would kill them since they can't digest them, but this guy actually spit them out. And he ate them on Sunday night/Monday morning. So it was about 4 days before he spit them out. I'm guessing he had a terrible case of indigestion! Anyway, I hope you either find a live snake that you can kill or a dead snake from eating golf balls!

 

[sarahlorrain]

That's scary! We have a hole like that in a tree in our yard and we occasionally find a shed snake skin in the tree or lying on the ground below the tree. The skin is about 4 feet long. Maybe I should try to scare it out of the hole so my husband can kill it. Our chicks are in a brooder that a snake cannot get into, but obviously when they are bigger they will be moved to a run ...

I'm glad you caught the culprit!

 

[Love2Homeschool]

That's scary! We have a hole like that in a tree in our yard and we occasionally find a shed snake skin in the tree or lying on the ground below the tree. The skin is about 4 feet long. Maybe I should try to scare it out of the hole so my husband can kill it. Our chicks are in a brooder that a snake cannot get into, but obviously when they are bigger they will be moved to a run ...

I'm glad you caught the culprit!

My sister suggested today that if we have a similar situation in the future, to try running a weed eater around the base of the tree. She said the vibration will make the snake come out. Wish I'd thought of that!

 

[sarahlorrain]

That makes sense. I've read that if you put a stick in the ground and rub another stick against it, after a few minutes earthworms will crawl out of the ground. We are going to try it next time we want to go fishing!

 

[J-Melton79]

I am in South Alabama and have 10 chicks right now, one of my biggest fears is snakes getting them once they make the move out to the coop. What are some good ways to keep the snakes away ?

 

[The Lazy L]

I am in South Alabama and have 10 chicks right now, one of my biggest fears is snakes getting them once they make the move out to the coop. What are some good ways to keep the snakes away ?

Use 1/2" hardware cloth instead of chicken wire.
Secure the coop by using 1/2" hardware cloth.
Secure the run by using 1/2" hardware cloth including the t/op/roof.