How to find/catch snakes

[TrufflesTheChic]

We have a hen laying and I'm pretty sure she was sitting on more than one egg. Well now she is only sitting on one egg and we think a snake is the culprit. I know we have a big snake out there somewhere, I have found the skin of him. My question is, what's the best time to go out there to see if I can find him? Do they make a snake trap? Lol

 

[bugglesmommy]

Look at this:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/346915/deer-netting-works-great-for-snakes

 

[Rusty Brock]

 

[Rusty Brock]

I found this guy in my coop 4hours ago!

 

[bj taylor]

I live in rat snake country. my rat snakes are my friends. they control the rodents very well. that being said, I do not want them in my coop, thank you very much. to that end, we basically surround-wrapped the coop in hardware cloth & any teen-intsy crack was forcibly stuffed w/steel wool to make it VERY unwelcoming to any snake.

at the moment, I am very glad we did this because I have a mama in there w/new babies. one shell was crushed just before it hatched & I didn't see it. now the nest STINKS. the snakes are no doubt drooling over this nest, but I feel confident mama and babies are safe.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

We have a hen laying and ... Do they make a snake trap? Lol

A funnel shaped trap used for minnows and crayfish have caught snakes for me in the past, but I was trying to catch fish bait. I never thought about setting a minnow trap on dry land. But this person did.

Check out this link from a couple of months ago.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/515899/best-way-ive-found-yet-to-deal-with-snake-problems

 

[TrufflesTheChic]

Thank you to everyone for the replies! These ideas are very helpful. Rusty, I think I would die if I found that big of a snake in my coop! Eek!

 

[bugglesmommy]

A few years ago my FIL gave me a solid heart attack. I was facing away from the door and heard him come in saying " Boy, look what I've got! It's a biggun!" I was expecting some prize vegetable or double yolker- something to that effect to turn around to find a 6 ft. long rat snake in my face. I'm pretty sure I died and got scared back to life! I'm not normally scared of snakes, I have 2 sand Boas, but the shock of it. Whew. That scared me more then that time I reached for an egg and grabbed a snake.

 

[Rusty Brock]

I just got done "Snakeproofing" my coop. Lot of spay foam and chicken wire.WISH ME LUCK!?

 

[bj taylor]

my coop is built inside my hoop house. today my dh took a 5 ft rat snake out of my hoop house & moved him out into the pasture. I have a lot of confidence a snake can't get into the coop. any crack/crevice is packed w/steel wool. the whole coop is virtually wrapped in hardware cloth.