Kind of Snake

[ColtHandorf]

I've also had grey or sometimes nearly black rat snakes.
This guy was mostly grey with some rust. Opened my front door and there he was hanging above my head. Couldn't get a good photo because he retreated.
View attachment 3516743

Eating baby barn swallows or eggs I see. I haven't had that happen in a while, but after taking care of one that was over six foot one night in the coop I stepped out on the front porch to another one that large. They were both dispatched.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

I know they are very beneficial. But, also very costly and frustrating.

I also know they are beneficial, because during the winter months I see rodent poop in my sheds, while in the warm months I never do. But once they discover eggs in a nest box, they are content to only eat eggs. I've read in threads where people said they didn't mind if snakes ate "a few eggs", as long as they kept rodents away. But every time i have a sudden egg drop, I know a rat snake(s) has found the chicken eggs. And often there is more than one snake. One day I went to gather eggs and discovered a very large rat snake in a nest box. Simultaneously, a very pregnant wood rat ran out from underneath the boxes and made her escape. That's when I knew without a doubt that rat snakes will choose a tasty, motionless egg over a rodent that runs and bites. I hate to kill them, but if they curl up to "fight" (they also rattle their tails to imitate a rattlesnake), they are soon dead snakes. The ones that flee, I attempt to catch and relocate. I have on occasion been bitten bad enough to draw blood, but the bites don't hurt much.

This one was six feet long. I relocated it to acreage where a friend annually has a large garden but no chickens. A snake this size eats 4 eggs every single day. Yes, that is costly and frustrating.

 

[Everose]

I also know they are beneficial, because during the winter months I see rodent poop in my sheds, while in the warm months I never do. But once they discover eggs in a nest box, they are content to only eat eggs. I've read in threads where people said they didn't mind if snakes ate "a few eggs", as long as they kept rodents away. But every time i have a sudden egg drop, I know a rat snake(s) has found the chicken eggs. And often there is more than one snake. One day I went to gather eggs and discovered a very large rat snake in a nest box. Simultaneously, a very pregnant wood rat ran out from underneath the boxes and made her escape. That's when I knew without a doubt that rat snakes will choose a tasty, motionless egg over a rodent that runs and bites. I hate to kill them, but if they curl up to "fight" (they also rattle their tails to imitate a rattlesnake), they are soon dead snakes. The ones that flee, I attempt to catch and relocate. I have on occasion been bitten bad enough to draw blood, but the bites don't hurt much.

This one was six feet long. I relocated it to acreage where a friend annually has a large garden but no chickens. A snake this size eats 4 eggs every single day. Yes, that is costly and frustrating.
View attachment 3516823

Woah that one is massive
I've only had two egg eaters. For the most part my chickens lay eggs around my dogs so the snakes don't bother with them. The snakes mostly frequent my feed room. That's really the only place they need to be, anywhere else and they have to go.

 

[Everose]

Eating baby barn swallows or eggs I see. I haven't had that happen in a while, but after taking care of one that was over six foot one night in the coop I stepped out on the front porch to another one that large. They were both dispatched.

He ate the whole batch of babies. I really don't care for the swallows above my door, they scream, swoop, attack my cats, and bother me all hours of the night. Since I found this one at night I just left him and he disappeared the next day.

 

[Everose]

BTW if you guys really hate rodents, or snakes, especially the venomous ones, you should be careful not to kill king snakes. From what I have heard they are notorious snake eaters. I've had a couple very docile ones slither right by me, but I've heard they can be aggressive.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

BTW if you guys really hate rodents, or snakes, especially the venomous ones, you should be careful not to kill king snakes. From what I have heard they are notorious snake eaters. I've had a couple very docile ones slither right by me, but I've heard they can be aggressive.

I've never seen a King snake on my property; I wish I has some since Copperheads are a true threat. Local neighborhood dogs and neighbors themselves have been bit by copperheads.