king snake in the brooder

[Sjeane]

Any one have an issue with king snakes eating biddies? Wife came in screaming that we had a snake watching my hen that was setting on some eggs she had one biddie and one egg left under her. She started with 13 eggs. I genarally dont like killing king snakes but i feel like we caught him red handed

 

[sweetie birds]

Last night, I found a (3-4 foot) King Snake In the hen house when the girls were going in for the night. It was laying on their roost & one of the14 hens alerted me to their situation. I,too, screamed for my DH as he was near by. The snake was identified quickly and I tossed all the hens back outside so we could try to capture it & relocate it as we do not kill beneficial creatures. We were unable to catch it & in the meantime read that they might eat an egg or two or a chick but the snake was harmless. It did not behave aggressively toward us. It coiled itself up hiding from us so we decided the hens could come back in and they did. My DH checked again later and the snake had our 3 year old Buff on the floor trying to eat her! She had been in a nest as she is broody. There were no eggs under her. How it got her out of the nest, we don't know. She was shaken so we brought her in the house for clean up & to sleep. DH got the snake out of the coop & injured it but didn't kill it. If we see it again, it will be killed. During our King snake research, did we read that they would attack grown hens!

 

[Talithahorse]

Wow...never would have thought. Must have been desperately hungry to take on something that big. Likely it will move on being thwarted but you might want to shore up your defense's. Especially if you have babies.

 

[bigbruce]

I realize some snakes are beneficial.Around my little farm they can be beneficial everywhere but my chicken coop.snake in my coop = dead snake

 

[BayouBumpkin]

I just had a problem with this also! I had three Maran chicks, I ended up with two pullets and a roo. They are about 8 weeks old now, and I have not put them in with with older ladies yet but they don't need a light anymore. A few days ago, I had checked on them, left for two hours, came back and one of the pullets was dead. No sign of illness, and no blood, but her head was wet. I was puzzled and sad. Last night, I was outside piddling around and I heard my other pullet squawking so I ran in to find a snake wrapped around her! I got it off her and before I could find something sharp enough to kill it, it got away. My poor pullet is traumatized, she has been quiet ever since. I wrapped her in a towel and carried her around with me all evening, she seemed to enjoy that and fell asleep with me. Now I'm not sure what to do, obviously this snake is coming back for more, so I can't put them back where they were!

 

[Sjeane]

i have always liked king snakes, but never thought they would bother my chickens. i guess any snake around my chickens is going to be a dead snake. dont want to risk my babies getting hurt or ate.