Heavy Hearted

[JanetS]

Sorry for your loss. We use 1/2" hardware cloth in our coop and run. The holes are to small for snakes, rats, squirrels, etc. to get through.

 

[4Chicks2]

When I build my run, I plan to use 1/2" hardware cloth. This happened while they were free range. Thanks for all the condolences and suggestions.

 

[dawg53]

When I build my run, I plan to use 1/2" hardware cloth. This happened while they were free range. Thanks for all the condolences and suggestions.

I've killed two of them in the pen on different occasions during the middle of the day; one was on the ground, the other was crawling down from the top of the pen through the chicken wire. It was a tough job getting that snake out of the chicken wire, but I got him. I've killed several others during the years and one in the garage. The one in the garage ate 4 of 6 chicks in the brooder before I found and killed it. There was a 1/4" gap below the backdoor to the garage, that's the only way it couldve got into the garage. Then there were the pullets and cockerals...another yellow rat snake.
For me to purchase hardware cloth for the pens, would be cost prohibitive. I think the yellow rat snake is about the most aggressive snake I've ever seen. Never had any problems with black snakes or garter snakes, rattlers nor cottonmouths now that I think about it.

 

[4Chicks2]

Black racers definately dont seem to be an issue. I havent had trouble with garter snakes either. I really wouldn't have thought a yellow rat snake would be an issue. I guess I assumed they would know that a chicken wouldnt fit in their bodies. I figured I might lose an egg or two to a snake, never thought they would attempt a chicken. I was more worried about a hawk or coon getting the birds. Lesson learned, although there still really isn't anything I can do about it...