It's creepy, yet almost humorous what we found today in the nestbox

[LilBizzy]

Hubby went to let one of the escaped girls back into the coop this morning, and then yelled for me to get the camera. Of course, I wanted to know what was going on. He said "you won't believe this". So I was thinking I was going to see something cute, like a pile of hens in the nestbox. Boy, was I wrong!!

It was trying to swallow the golfball. Luckily, there were no eggs for it to eat. It creeps me out, to think it was there in the nestbox. I am SOOOOO glad he found it, not me.

 

[ChooksChick]

I have golf balls in all of my nests...I'd laugh if I saw that!!

Good grief!

 

[eggsforsale]

Wow!!! That is the greatest picture! It IS creepy no doubt. Thanks for sharing...can't wait to show this to my hubby.

 

[TXmom]

Wow, that's amazing...not what I want to see in my nestboxes. I have golfballs in my nestboxes too, and I think I'm missing 2 of them. Either the girls have pushed them onto the floor into the deep shavings, or maybe they've been EATEN???

 

[gocrow77]

I would have yelled "get the gun, get the shovel, get something to KILL it!!" . I hate snakes - they creep me out - sorry snake lovers. I encourage my kids, husband, my roo, and his girls to do away with snakes. So far this year my chickens have killed 2 little "unknown" snakes and one baby copperhead. I'm very proud of my snake hunting chickens. I would have screamed and made hubby do the dirty work had I been in your shoes. Great pic though! Snakes scare the begeezus outta me!

 

[Equus5O]

My husband checks the nest boxes every once in a while. We haven't had any eggs, yet.

He'd pass out if he saw that.

I snapped a pic on my cell phone the other day of a black snake run over on the road. I showed it to him when I got home. He had a nightmare that night.

 

[LilBizzy]

Quote:
Oh, after the camera, we got the shovel, and he killed it. Well, he cut it in half- the top half slithered away ( Now THAT was super creepy)
Tonight when I went to lock them up, and every night from now till the end of time, I'm going to be scared, and jump at every little thing, and be afraid to open the coop,etc etc...

 

[FrenchHen]

I do believe I would have wet myself.

I hate surprise snakes.

bleh!

 

[jjthink]

Amazing photo. Makes my jaw ache.

I wish I could have helped. Had I been in your neck of the woods, I would have been happy to volunteer to coax it into a canvas bag and escort it to a place a distance away from your birds (to avoid future egg-napping). Black snakes are considered no harm to adult chickens, though they may snack on eggs, and are revered by many for their rodent clean up (I don't mind a mouse here or there myself..).

gocrow, I understand about an innate fear of a species. For some reason I've always had the heebie jeebies about spiders - I would rather encounter lions, tigers and bears! But I do not kill them. Snakes are so important and most are absolutely harmless to us and our birds so maybe you could just try not to pass along your feelings to your kids or others..

For some reason, spiders and snakes tend to trigger fears in us humans that are not based on actual problem experiences. I remember stirring dinner on the stove one night years ago when I was living in Rhode Island and a really grizzly spider came down from the ceiling right in front of my face, the kind that is fast and that slimy off-white-yellow-translucent color. I abandoned the food, the kitchen and indeed the house for awhile! In my NJ house now, I will sometimes see enormous spiders in the basement (the kind that I would expect to seein the Amazon, NOT in New Jersey)- I don't hurt them - I don't get within 10 feet of them - but I want to move 7 states away when it happens! I'm much better when I see them outdoors.
You are probably cool with spiders, as I am with snakes!

JJ

 

[Ducklove334]

Quote:
you've got chickens, you've got feed, you've got feed you've got rats and mice, no snakes = MANY more mice thats the way I look at it.

and I like both snakes and mice

I think he's just confused and his mommy didn't love him