How to catch black snake thats eating chicks?

Kennas_Kritters

Songster
Dec 30, 2019
490
940
196
Polk City, FL
My Coop
My Coop
I went to check on my 8 chicks this morning and noticed that there were only 6 chicks. I searched everywhere and couldn't find them. Later today I went behind the shed that they are in and there was a black snake sitting right behind it. :( We have snakes bad here. I don't want to kill a black snake but it's killing my chicks! We had one yesterday sitting behind my other chick pen and when I looked at it it bowed up at me. It's a dead snake now. I like snakes that keep pests away but I don't like when a snake becomes the pest. ;-; Is there any way I can trap it? If not.... how can I kill it? Again I don't want to kill it if I don't have to but I don't have many options...
 
How old are your chicks, and what type of housing are they currently kept in? Snakes are a huge issue for me too. The only sure way ive found to keep chicks safe is to house them in a cage or pen completely covered in 1/2" hardware cloth. I also make sure snakes cant slither under the bottom of the pen. I've been surprised in the past how little space a copperhead or ratsnake needs to gain access. A one inch space or gap is plenty large enough for a hungry 6-foot ratsnake .
 
How old are your chicks, and what type of housing are they currently kept in? Snakes are a huge issue for me too. The only sure way ive found to keep chicks safe is to house them in a cage or pen completely covered in 1/2" hardware cloth. I also make sure snakes cant slither under the bottom of the pen. I've been surprised in the past how little space a copperhead or ratsnake needs to gain access. A one inch space or gap is plenty large enough for a hungry 6-foot ratsnake .
They are only a few days old. They are in a shed with chicken wire over the front where the door was. They are inside of a big black plastic koi pond thing. I didn't think a snake would be brave enough to slither past my emu's but I guess they are!
 
I went to check on my 8 chicks this morning and noticed that there were only 6 chicks. I searched everywhere and couldn't find them. Later today I went behind the shed that they are in and there was a black snake sitting right behind it. :( We have snakes bad here. I don't want to kill a black snake but it's killing my chicks! We had one yesterday sitting behind my other chick pen and when I looked at it it bowed up at me. It's a dead snake now. I like snakes that keep pests away but I don't like when a snake becomes the pest. ;-; Is there any way I can trap it? If not.... how can I kill it? Again I don't want to kill it if I don't have to but I don't have many options...
Just grab it and chop it’s head off. Easy peasy.
 
A 410ga works wonders for snakes and others ... but you gonna have to kill a lot of snakes before the baby chicks get grown. It would be a lot easier to just upgrade your brooder housing, as stated above, and leave the snakes alone. A snake is a little slow, but he will soon figure out that the easy meals have gone.
 
Bird netting over the top of the container should work. I would personally use 1/2" hardware cloth over the top just to be sure. I also temporarily suggest relocating the chicks inside your house until you can get a protective cover. I caught three very large ratsnakes in my nestboxes just last week, all well over 5 ft long. They come for eggs and chicks & follow each other's scent trail too, especially this time of year. I would take action immediately, otherwise by tomorrow morn you may have no chicks left.
 
I made a cage with hardware cloth to put my chicks in so that snakes and rodents can't get to them. 2'x2'x2'. I put a tray underneath that I put shavings in and their poop goes through the wire.
HardwareclothCage.jpg
 
I tolerate no predators around my chickens regardless of their role in the ecosystem.Fence them out with 1/2" hardware cloth or you will have many losses.No snake is your friend.
 

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