How to protect baby chickens from snakes?

[Dokidoki]

Hello..! I have (or used to) 3 baby Egyptian Fayoumi chickens that I believe are 7 or 8 weeks old(I don't really know how old they are since they were a gift from my sister) . The roosters names are Chica and Captain Chirp and my hen is named CheetoPuff. I have been trying to recover from what happened to one of them.
Every morning I wake up and take them on a little "walk" around the property so they can get a little exercise before putting them back in the tiny coop they have that I'm trying to make bigger.
One morning I brung them out and I forgot to fill there water bowl so I went back inside to get some water and I came back out to see only 2 chickens. Then I saw Chica screaming as they were bleeding out of they're eyes and mouth and I saw a Western Diamondback rattlesnake curled up. I put my chickens in a cardboard box and got my "snake grabber" (as my family always called it) and tossed the snake down a runoff drain

These chickens are technically my comfort item due to my major anxiety and depression disorders (andmyordermentaldisorders) to comfort me. It only traumatized me and made it worse that I was holding the thing I loved and watching as it bled on me and died in my arms.
The same snake came back 3 times and I nearly killed it with a shovel and I don't want this to ever happen again.

Does anyone know how to keep my chickens and the coop itself more protected from things like snakes? I live in California to make things more clear and more understanding to those who live here as well.

Thank you..! Sorry if I got a little emotional I'm just really afraid.... :/

 

[LRH97]

I'm very sorry to hear about your chicken and that you had to go through what you did! Here in Southern IL, there are few reports of rattlesnakes (if any venomous snakes they are usually Copperheads or Cottonmouths) although sometimes people do run across a Timber Rattler every now and then. I've dealt with black rat snakes in the past. We're not hesitant to get out the shovels, hoes, and axes. (My grandpa used to pick them off with his .22. Probably not the best idea!) Here's a great link that goes into good detail about predator proofing whether the varmint has feathers, scales, or paws: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2013/07/11-tips-for-predator-proofing-chickens.html

I hope this helps. Don't let this discourage you. You're bound to run into a predator here and there in your chicken keeping career. But, life goes on and we keep on keepin' on. All the best to you.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

.... so I went back inside to get some water and I came back out to see only 2 chickens..... and.... a Western Diamondback rattlesnake curled up. I put my chickens in a cardboard box and got my "snake grabber" (as my family always called it) and tossed the snake down a runoff drain.... These chickens are technically my comfort item due to my major anxiety.... It only traumatized me ....that I was holding the thing I loved and watching as it bled on me and died in my arms.
The same snake came back 3 times and I nearly killed it with a shovel and I don't want this to ever happen again.

Does anyone know how to keep my chickens and the coop itself more protected from things like snakes? I live in California to make things more clear and more understanding to those who live here as well.

Toss your snake grabber down that runoff drain and instead get yourself a so called "snake charmer." A snake charmer is a small gauge shotgun that is handy for sending snakes to the great beyond. Large pythons that have been captured and relocated in Florida quickly find their way back home from over 125 miles away. But you have already discovered that shakes are hard headed and just return.

I also expect that your rattle snake is drawn by your chickens' water bowl or fountain and a snake is not going to be dissuaded from drinking life giving water by a snake grabber, a snake charmer however is entirely another matter. Thrust is a much bigger reason for a snake to visit your chicken coop than the threat of you giving the snake a freestyle skydiving lesson.

 

[HeritageGoose13]

Someone else was having snake problems today on BYC. There are some different suggestions there...

Here's the thread:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1001831/getting-rid-of-snakes-please-help

And here's a recipe for a snake-repellant I found online.

1) Garlic Mixture

Garlic mixtures are effective as snake repellents. You can either get them commercially such as Snake Stopper or make your own.
Here are the ingredients to make your own garlic mixture:

1. 10 garlic bulbs (purple ones are best as they are very potent)
2. Four table spoons of garlic oil or any other vegetable oil.
3. Some water

Preparation:

1. Take a blender and add some water.
2. Separate the garlic into cloves and add them to the blender.
3. Start blending it until a smooth nice paste is formed, then add the oil.
4. Leave the mixture in a plastic container for an hour with the lid on.
5. Now it’s ready, and place a few drops in any area you don’t want snakes to be seen. Repeat the process after it rains.
6. The effectiveness of the mixture usually lasts for three weeks, then you will need to make a new batch.

I'm sorry about what happened to your chicken.

(Also this is unrelated, but I was just trying to find info on Egyptian Fayoumis a couple hours ago! What a coincidence. I like the breed but don't know that much about it.)

Welcome to BYC.