I like snakes too....and I used to like racoons and raptors. But that was before poultry. Anything that gets my birds and is legal to eliminate is goneSo yesterday I went to see if any more chicks had hatched under my broody bantam cochin. There , in the nest box was a four foot black snake! Two hens were watching with concern as it had already eaten 3 eggs, or chicks. I grab the snake. Looked for the other hen, she was in the run where he had killed her!!! I was mad for the rest of the day. Now I am putting mesh over the entire outside of the run. This is the second time this has happened in this coop. Last time I put lots of mesh up, but ran out and had other things to do. I never used to hate snakes, since I found them interesting and I know they eat rodents. But I am tired of them stealing eggs and chicks, and killing hens.