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

[LilBizzy]

I can not take credit for the photo- Hubby took it. I am not sure I would have gotten that close to it.


"Well isn't that precious?"

 

[Lolliegee]

Great pic and story. My kids frequently check for our eggs...not sure what they would've done if they'd seen that?

 

[fordmommy]

I'm going to keep a shovel at the door of my coop from now on.

I HATE snakes!

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

HAHAHA!!! I bet you were Tee'd off!

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

It is a great picture. We don't have snakes like that in the Pacific NW. Just garter snakes and they don't hang out near the coop. They like tall, grassy, moist places where bugs hang out.

Why do folks put golf balls in the nests? Don't the chickens know from instinct to lay in the nest boxes?

My girls started laying last week and slowly more are laying - 5 of 8 now laying. I didn't do anything other then provide 5 nest boxes with comfy aspin shavings. So far all the boxes have gotten used, so it doesn't look like anyone is playing favorites with just one box.

 

[baldie]

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[embkm]

We had a black snake in our nest box a few months ago. Only I was the "lucky" one to find it. LOL I screamed for hubby, who is more afraid of snakes than I am. He pulled the thing out by the tail, and it kept coming and coming! It was over 6.5 ft long! OMG, hubby was freaked. He couldn't kill it though. We put it in a bucket with a lid and relocated it to MIL's property.... she has a stream, wooded area, and no chickens.

My friends had a problem last year though... they took a huge blacksnake out of their nestboxes 3 times in 2 weeks. After it kept coming back, they ended up killing it.

 

[LilBizzy]

~*Sweet Cheeks*~ :

Why do folks put golf balls in the nests? Don't the chickens know from instinct to lay in the nest boxes?

My girls started laying last week and slowly more are laying - 5 of 8 now laying. I didn't do anything other then provide 5 nest boxes with comfy aspin shavings. So far all the boxes have gotten used, so it doesn't look like anyone is playing favorites with just one box.

I read to put golfballs in the nest boxes to help them identify where to lay. Of course, they have been laying for almost a year now, so I guess they don't need the golfball anymore LOL. But then again, if there was no golfball, the picture wouldn't have been so funny.
You are lucky they dont play favorites with nestboxes. I have literally seen a line waiting for one box when the other is free. I have also seen 2 in one nestbox. And in an urgent situation, if their nest box is taken, they might lay their eggs in the middle of the run.​

 

[ginbart]

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Is your husband my husbands brother?

 

[jjdward]

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I love it!!!

I know your pain! I walked in my coup the otherday and found a 6 1/2 foot king snake in there!

I almost lost my religion! Even though I know they do some good, I had to kill it. God forgive me, but I just couldn't help it!!!!!