I hate snakes

[sabong]

approximately 1 hour ago a black snack got my 1 week old game chick...this means war

...i have always hated snakes but never killed any...well copperheads and cottonmouths...but not black snakes...i heard a commotion in the brood pen and when i got to it the hen, being a good mommy, was fighting the snake...and she was doin a good job cause the snake was full of holes...but she couldn't do enough the snake had squeezed my baby to death...so i politely chopped his head off and fed him to the fish...no one or nothing messes with my birds and gets away with it...tomorrow we're goin snake huntin

 

[Mandalina]

Sorry for your loss.

 

[TwistedSerpent]

Post removed.

Please see here
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=5808

Particularly

*Although some ways are not considered ideal to some, it serves the purpose of removing the offending predator. If you have an idea or a helpful comment, please do reply. If it is a sarcastic comment about the disposal or capture of a predator, please keep your thoughts to yourself. We are not here to judge one another on methods or ways and means.
​

 

[pkw]

Post removed.

Please see here
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=5808

Particularly

*Although some ways are not considered ideal to some, it serves the purpose of removing the offending predator. If you have an idea or a helpful comment, please do reply. If it is a sarcastic comment about the disposal or capture of a predator, please keep your thoughts to yourself. We are not here to judge one another on methods or ways and means.
​

Sabong I am sorry that horrible creature killed your baby chick​

 

[dawg53]

Snakes are beneficial, no doubt. But not near my chickens as they will meet a swift death.

 

[dichotomymom]

I definitely see both sides to this. On one hand, we don't ever want to lose our livestock (or come face to face with a snake when we aren't expected) but there are vermin that can spread disease who are attracted to our coops because of free food.

 

[TwistedSerpent]

Post removed.

Please see here
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=5808

Particularly

*Although some ways are not considered ideal to some, it serves the purpose of removing the offending predator. If you have an idea or a helpful comment, please do reply. If it is a sarcastic comment about the disposal or capture of a predator, please keep your thoughts to yourself. We are not here to judge one another on methods or ways and means.
​

Also, no name calling or flaming​

 

[mom2jedi]

I have to admit I agree with TwistedSerpent. Now I do like snakes but that is beside the point, snakes do so much good if we didn't have them around we would be overrun with rodents. Case in point, last summer when we moved into our home (our first owned home) my husband saw a beautiful kingsnake in our backyard under one of the trees. He took a couple pictures but otherwise let him be. We have not seen the snake since. We are now overrun with gophers. My backyard is now riddled with holes so badly that I worry about my kids playing for fear of twisted ankles. Now I don't know for sure if the snake was keeping the gophers at bay when we first moved in but we only saw evidence of old non active holes till the winter rains, then apparently there was a population explosion. Between myself, my DH, and our dog we've managed to get rid of 6 of them but there are more, they have caused so much damage it's insane! They even took out half a row of flowers I planted along the fence next to our driveway in the front yard in two days.

Long story short, snakes are very beneficial creatures that are often misunderstood and have a lot of fear associated with them. I sympathize with the loss of your chick and understand ridding yourself of that particular predator. To try and find all the snakes around your property may not be the best way to address the problem. Perhaps, re-check your broodpen for possible entry points and see if there's a way to snake proof it.

 

[tom e]

I'd rather have snakes around than the rodents you must have. It's pretty simple math that every snake on site has enough rodents to support itself. Besides that it would be easier to snakeproof you pens than it will be to find and kill them all.
A black snake in the US is always beneficial, in the south and in Texas even more so (where they may be indigos- federally protected AND voracious feeders on rattlesnakes!!)

 

[sabong]

Post removed.

Please watch your language.