Hubby killed a snake yesterday!! What kind was it? pic added

[shay20]

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yea we coop them in too, but i am pretty sure a snake can get in there, lol i mean the coops have big gaps in them.

 

[shay20]

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I do not think it is a copperhead. Copperheads have hour glass shapes and there is a kind of water snake areound here that looks like them but the stripes are fat in the middle instead af thinning down. Any chance you were close to a creek or pond?

Yea, our property has an area thats called wet land, and there is a lot of wet land the yard next door, kind like a dirty nast pond type that just appears when it down poors, i dont think it was there last fall. lol, but yea lot of wet land here.

 

[Leasa79]

There are only six types of snake that eat eggs, and not one is found any where near us!! Just get rid of the stuff that snakes like to hide under and around, and you wont see them. You found this guy digging under stuff, and he gave you a good scare! Chickens are also prey animals, they are smarter than us in hiding from things that eat them.

 

[Leasa79]

The diet of an adult milk snake primarily consists of rodents. They are nocturnal eaters and are often found during the day in old barns and under wood.

 

[fancbrd4me02]

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I agree with this. I free range and if my chickens do see a snake, they cackle an alarm, and they all shout at it and watch it until it leaves. If I am home and this happens, i go look to see what kind of snake it is. If it is poisonous, i catch it and take it to a safe area to release it. If it is non-poisonous, I shoo it away from the hens so they don't attack it.

(I don't advocate poisonous snake catching. Don't do as I do.

)

 

[shaky]

100% sure its a milk snake.
The one dieselgrl posted, as a "copperhead" that her cat brought in was a young ratsnake.
Both are rodent control. As stated, milk snakes are nocturnal mammal specialists.
Bummer.

 

[shay20]

Quote:
I agree with this. I free range and if my chickens do see a snake, they cackle an alarm, and they all shout at it and watch it until it leaves. If I am home and this happens, i go look to see what kind of snake it is. If it is poisonous, i catch it and take it to a safe area to release it. If it is non-poisonous, I shoo it away from the hens so they don't attack it.

(I don't advocate poisonous snake catching. Don't do as I do.

)

ok so you guys convibce me that 1 it is a milk snake, 2 not to be alarmed by it and 3 my chickens will ok.
now if i see a cooperhead regarless mass law or not i will kill it then again i would be to afraid it to even try to touch it with anything. . i wont be like you and try to catch it, lol i am not that calm about snakes. lol

 

[Leasa79]

If your girls don't get it first, hehehe!!

 

[gypsy2621]

toss the next one on a cloth bag or pillow case and call me, I would kill for a nice milk snake like that.
Not to worry no big deal wait till the guinea eggs hatch out and the chicks get bigger, then you will have a flock of snake handlers.
best part about guineas they eat snakes before snakes can eat them.

call me with the next one I will remove it. lol.

further north west towards Red Hen there are copperheads and timber rattlers.
her area you have to be a bit more careful.

 

[Tala]

If you are afraid of the snakes, but can stand looking at them - I think it would be EXTREMELY helpful for you to take the time to learn about them. I was glad to learn a bit about them when I took a hands-on vertebrate zoology class in college. I think It's actually very releiving to be able to ID them in the yard.

In Arkansas essentially all of the "bad" snakes are in the Pit Viper family, and they have a distinctive head shape. If it's not a Viper I'm happy to find it! Of course, if it's small enough, the hens will slurp it down like a noodle despite the breed!!! lol

Our state has a Herp site that is really nice http://www.herpsofarkansas.com/Snake/HomePage so check to see if your state has one too!!!