Huge Snake problems

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I've lost quite a few chicks, pullets and cockerals to snakes over the years, mostly yellow rat snakes. Snake repellents, moth balls etc are a farce. If you can afford to completely enclose a pen in 1/4" hardware cloth, there's a good chance it'll stop them.
thyellow rat snake.jpg 5601988.jpg 19157_003sn.jpg
 
I'm not sure about plants that deter them but I know that they love hanging around Palmetto bushes and blackberries, if you had any of those and wanted to get rid of them.
From my own experience, snakes HATE cinnamon scented stuff, and the repellant I use is full of cinnamon oil and lots of other odds and ends that keep them away. So far haven't had a problem with them crossing the line that I cover with it. Its a powder form. Also I've had good luck with my cat keeping away snakes. He loves going after snakes and lizards and has done a pretty good job killing any that come close to the house like that. And an added plus, he's never went after my birds.
 
Maybe you need to figure out where the snake den is located. That many snakes usually mean's that they have a den nearby and are breeding. Just turning them loose outside of your coop isn't going to make them magically go away. They know where the food is at, and will return. I had to deal with one ratsnake early last fall.
 
Seriously considering 1/4" hardware cloth, but it may be a while before I can get it installed. I've also heard that snakes create a fear pheromone when killed, and if I burn the snake near my coop the smell will drive other snakes away... Not sure. There are so many rumors, theories, and ideas I've heard to chase them away. So far I've removed all trees and bushes from around my run, spread some of the snake repellent, sealed the roof caps, and plugged up the few small holes that I could find. I usually don't mind them in the yard or garden, just don't want them in my coop. I've thus far been relocating them a few miles away from my coop, but the next ones are in trouble. Lol. How would I go about finding a snake den?
 
FeatherLace said:
I'm not sure about plants that deter them but I know that they love hanging around Palmetto bushes and blackberries, if you had any of those and wanted to get rid of them.
From my own experience, snakes HATE cinnamon scented stuff, and the repellant I use is full of cinnamon oil and lots of other odds and ends that keep them away. So far haven't had a problem with them crossing the line that I cover with it. Its a powder form. Also I've had good luck with my cat keeping away snakes. He loves going after snakes and lizards and has done a pretty good job killing any that come close to the house like that. And an added plus, he's never went after my birds.
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My coop is about 30 feet from one of the garden patches that includes cultivated blackberries on the split rail fence.

I was weeding in prep for winter squash and found a large snake hole at one end. I had found a shed skin nearby this week. Sure enough, my pyr mix got to nosing around and the king snake appeared. She backed off and he quickly escaped under my landscape cloth :(

Will try and relocate him if possible. But in the meantime, are my 7 1/2 week old pullets safe? They are secured with 1/2" hardware cloth with an 18" apron.
 
Rivendell Chick said:
My coop is about 30 feet from one of the garden patches that includes cultivated blackberries on the split rail fence.

I was weeding in prep for winter squash and found a large snake hole at one end. I had found a shed skin nearby this week. Sure enough, my pyr mix got to nosing around and the king snake appeared. She backed off and he quickly escaped under my landscape cloth :(

Will try and relocate him if possible. But in the meantime, are my 7 1/2 week old pullets safe? They are secured with 1/2" hardware cloth with an 18" apron.
Click to expand...
Personally I'd put repellant around them just in case, because some snakes can fit through pencil holes! But as long as theyre a safe distance from the ground they should be okay, nothing has bothered my babies and I live basically in a swamp filled with Cottonmouths and Timber Rattlers. The bottom of my pen is covered in 1/2" hardware cloth but I double layered it for extra protection
 
Crestcrazy2 said:
You could get peacocks,haha .
I don't know of a certain type of chicken that will go after snakes but my guess would be some sort of game chicken , good luck 🙂
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My game chickens clearly have issues with snakes and do attack them. The problem with Black Rat Snakes, which can get larger and are more abundant than the snake in the video below, is they come mostly at night when the chickens can do little or nothing.

I have resorted to relocating snakes bigger than 4 feet long. The smaller snakes are still big enough to eat mice, but not big enough to each an entire clutch / brood in one visit.
 
centrarchid said:
My game chickens clearly have issues with snakes and do attack them. The problem with Black Rat Snakes, which can get larger and are more abundant than the snake in the video below, is they come mostly at night when the chickens can do little or nothing.

I have resorted to relocating snakes bigger than 4 feet long. The smaller snakes are still big enough to eat mice, but not big enough to each an entire clutch / brood in one visit.
Click to expand...
Faster moving than I would have expected. Thanks for sharing. This is primarily the type of snake I see around our gardens, tractor sheds, etc. Definitely relocating the one I saw yesterday since the dogs aren't up for it.
 

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