How can I protect eggs from adult black racer(s) ??

[Jensfunfarm]

I came face to face with an adult black racer in the barn today. It was on the feed bucket but I am sure it was seeking out the eggs. My chickens have only been laying for two weeks. I need advice on how to keep them out of the coop and barn. In my basement I use moth balls but I know the chickens may eat them so dont want to use that method. I am going to try the minnow trap but this snake was atleast 5' long and over 1" round. I am in NC and they are everywhere.

 

[chfite]

Some report success with trapping snakes in chicken wire loosely rolled, lying in the snake's likely path. As I understand, the snake becomes entrapped trying to wend its way through the openings. I suppose the fencing has too many twists and turns for the snake to successfully negotiate, so it is trapped.

Chris

 

[jak2002003]

If you use finer wire mesh on the coop and run the snake will not be able to get in.

Actually I would not worry about the snake - it will only eat an egg every couple of weeks, and then only in the warmer months, then it will hibernate.

If you have large breed chickens (not bantams) they might even attack, kill and eat the snake as a tasty treat. A few hard pecks from a broody hen will send it packing for sure.

 

[jak2002003]

Should add that the snake will also keep down any mice or rats that might try to make a home in your coop, so maybe an odd egg or 2 is good payment to it.

 

[mulewagon]

Actually I would not worry about the snake - it will only eat an egg every couple of weeks, and then only in the warmer months, then it will hibernate.

If you have large breed chickens (not bantams) they might even attack, kill and eat the snake as a tasty treat. A few hard pecks from a broody hen will send it packing for sure.

A snake that long can eat several chicks or eggs in a day, and come back for more the next day. I lost 21 chicks and hatching eggs in about two weeks to snakes - or one ratsnake, since after we caught and killed a six foot one in the pen (with at least three hatching eggs inside it) the depredations stopped.

The chickens did not attempt to approach the large snake, even after it was dead (though I've often seen them eat small ones). A few years ago, I found a large snake curled inside a nest, surrounded by broken eggs, with the hen screaming to one side. Evidently she had been driven off the nest.

So yes, some snakes can give you a significant loss. We have a lot of snakes in the area, and most haven't bothered the chickens, but the ones who did were serious about it, and had to be killed.

 

[Nathan Sampson]

So are you interested in raising any pigs if so build a pig pen around your chicken pen the hogs will take care of the snake for you.

 

[Jensfunfarm]

Thanks for all the replies. I think we will be giving the barn a thorough cleaning and set up a trap near the nesting boxes. If he doesn't seem to bother the eggs or chickens then he will get a name like all the other animals that show up )

 

[ChicKat]

Please post back about the success of the minnow trap and which type you use. I have set an old minnow trap with no success. Late springI had one chick killed by snake. Now I have some in the brooder and some eggs incubating - and a broody on eggs...so I'm concerned.

I saw one huge snake on the porch and later dh killed two and just the other day killed oe that was in the process of swallowing a toad in the dogs watering trough.

Someone on byc threadss said that soil sulfur doesn't work although the 'snake away' product contains soil sulfur and the product in mothballs...and I have heard that if a snake gets tangled up in netting it has a hard time getting out. I do have sulfur and put it out as a barrier, because I know it won't harm the chickens. (For my pullets I used to set out a little portable pen 4'x4', I sprinkle a barrier of sulfur around it)

good luck with it.