hebe jebes just found a 4 foot black snake in a nest box

[Littlefox26]

OMG saying I hate snakes in my space is an understatement. And it July gets better. I went into the hen house to get the eggs this morning only to see the board had fallen out of one nest box which is odd since they are very stable. I look over and see some black "thing" wrapped around an egg in another nesting box. Needless to day I about passed out. So being the resourful chicken mama I am I ran into the house grabbed the tailings out of my kitchen drawer and found one of a dozen shovels after running all the way to the garage on the other side of our 3 acer yard.
It took 5 min a lot of cussing and several tries to get him out but I did it. Then I cut his head off. Now after that don't get me wrong I have no problem with black snakes I'm particular but once they get into the eggs that's it. I know there is a larger one around that snacks on the eggs my hens lay around the orchard when they free range but I have left him alone for now.
So an hour later I'm still shudering and totally creaped out. I hate touching them! And as I was carrying him off I ran into a huge spider web I didn't see because I was yelling at the dog to stop trying to play with the dead snake. Also I lost a duck to the neighbours dog two nights ago. So I am yet again freaking out.

 

[sourland]

I feel guilty. I laughed at the mental image of the dog thinking, "That's a neat rope. Just let me tug on it."

 

[Littlefox26]

He is a 5 month old red healer puppie so he was VERY interested in the funny smelling rope mom was toting around. @sourland

 

[microchick]

Heelers are amazing dogs. We have a 7 yr old Blue Heeler aka Australian Cattle Dog and he is a hoot to have around. When he was about 8 mo old he demolished a sofa. Luckily it was an old one that was stored in an out building but he literally tore it apart with his jaws. He also was known to tear chain link fencing apart by chewing through the wire and everything we own belongs to him so I can really see your pup having that same mindset.

If you ever want a good laugh, google 'Australian Cattle Dog rules of Possession.'

Good job with the snake. We have black snakes where we live and as long as they stay out of the barn, they are welcome to stay and keep the rodents at bay.

 

[Littlefox26]

I have an almost 2 year old son the puppie and a 10 year old female blue healer (she is my husband's dog and it took me almost a year to get full in her good graces) so basically have twin boy who fight over all food and toys and a grumpy teenager who yells at every one. It gets crazy but I really enjoy it. The puppie hasn't totally destroyed anything but he is working on most of my sons toys. He really really likes any thing made of wood. My won being an adventurous soul is another reason I am more aggressive with snakes than some people may be. @microchick

 

[TinaOK]

I know how you feel about the snakes. My mind says that the black snakes are good and to leave them alone but I get the heebie-jeebies when I see them. So far I have seen one in the yard and nest boxes at night after the hens should have gone to bed. One night all I could see of the snake was the tip of its tail because the rest of it was in the nest box with a hen. I didn't know what to do so I went to get my camera (a cure-all response in my mind - if you can't 'handle' it, take its picture) and it was gone when I got back to the chicken yard. The last two nights the hens won't go into their house (I checked their house and there was no snake in there) but I couldn't see any snake in the yard or nest boxes, either. The hens were on a branch I have for them to roost on outside, and some were in the nest boxes and some on the ground. I'm not sure how or what to do. I'm not inclined to kill a black snake, so I guess they will keep the hens company at night until I can get up the nerve to take care of them once-and-for-all.
The photo is from 2014. The snake is at least 5 feet long, it is stretched between the nest box and the fence.
Tina