I think my chicken ate a Rattlesnake. Are the eggs safe?

[Chickpeep]

Hi Mike, welcome from another newbie. Fresh outa the egg.

 

[msollars]

Hi ChicKat,

That was the actual picture (blown up) from today. I had my phone on me when I was out there today.

I usually let the chickens run free on the weekends when I am home to watch them. I am always amazed by how many things they find to eat in the grass. This one was a surprise though. The baby snake had the "cross hatch" pattern on him that led me to think it was a small rattler. We have a lot of snakes up here on the bluff. I live within a mile of the Missouri River, and we are flooded out at the end of the road. Unfortunately, all the animals including snakes had to move to higher ground. In fact, someone down the road was bit by a copperhead just a couple weeks ago. Either way, I am just glad to know the eggs will be fine, and all of the chickens were fine when I put them to bed tonight. All is good.

I have 12 Golden Comets that I bought from an Amish farmer in Jamesport, MO this year. I have to say, it seems to be a great breed. In addition to being consistent egg layers, they are the most friendly birds I could have hoped for. Not to mention the one bird that leaves me double yolks almost daily. They were probably the right choice for my first flock.

Mike

 

[mystang89]

I'm sorry, I am still new to the whole chicken thing so you'll have to excuse me when I LOL at a chicken eating a snake.

I've always heard of snakes eating chickens or their eggs but never the other way around. I know it was a small snake but a snake is a snake in my opinion. Yes, I'm scared of them, I'll admit it. I might keep more chickens around me from now on as my body guards.

 

[geekgurl]

My golden comet got ahold of a grass snake a couple weeks ago and after she flung it around a bit, she slurped it up like a piece of spaghetti.

 

[Chocobo]

Just a little FYI, not only will the chicken and the eggs be fine but even if YOU ate the snake you would be fine.
Unless there are cuts or injuries in the mouth or stomach you could do a shot of snake venom and nothing would happen to you. In fact in some countries you can do just that. You can order a drink that is made right in front of you with fresh snake venom in it. Mostly novelty for tourists.

 

[raykour1]

My hens have eaten several rattlers. Looks like a young rattler to me in the photo. The chicken almost always wins this battle I think. I am always pleased when they do me this service. I also catch them eating mice from time to time. We have lots of rattlers in the Colorado foothills.

 

[Stuck in the Coop]

Quote:
Wow! Talk about small world, I live very close to Jamesport! I am planning to run over there tomorrow to the Amish store for spices.

Glad it looks like your hen will be okay and howdy from a fellow Missourian

 

[epeloquin]

I usually let the chickens run free on the weekends when I am home to watch them. I am always amazed by how many things they find to eat in the grass. This one was a surprise though. The baby snake had the "cross hatch" pattern on him that led me to think it was a small rattler. We have a lot of snakes up here on the bluff. I live within a mile of the Missouri River, and we are flooded out at the end of the road. Unfortunately, all the animals including snakes had to move to higher ground. In fact, someone down the road was bit by a copperhead just a couple weeks ago. Either way, I am just glad to know the eggs will be fine, and all of the chickens were fine when I put them to bed tonight. All is good.

I have 12 Golden Comets that I bought from an Amish farmer in Jamesport, MO this year. I have to say, it seems to be a great breed. In addition to being consistent egg layers, they are the most friendly birds I could have hoped for. Not to mention the one bird that leaves me double yolks almost daily. They were probably the right choice for my first flock.

That probably was a rattler. The juveniles are quite small and have that cross hatch pattern. No worries on the eggs.

More interesting is the Amish bred Comet giving you double yolks. I had posted here before, the Amish are known for breeding chickens that lay LOTS of double yolkers. VERY cool. I wish we had them here in Massachusetts because I would get all my hens from them. I knew of one guy who even got triple yolkers sometimes!​

 

[ChicKat]

Quote:
Gorgeous egg picture....fit for a cook book.

These are my first chickens, and I was thinking just yesterday how fortunate I was that I got my Golden Comet, because she is a stellar chicken. No double yolks, but jumbo or extra large eggs---like she has a job to do every day and she does it, each and every day with very few exceptions. Also she is friendly. I know that for the future, this chicken will be the 'gold standard' that I measure other chickens beside. Once you have one that outstanding, you do get spoiled.

It sounds like you live in a pretty area of the country and that you have an amazing flock!

 

[ChicKat]

Quote:
Oh Yuck, a snake venom cocktail. Ugh! On the other hand..... they will probably discover it cures all known disease lol.