Missing eggs.

[bgreen65]

I am trying to raise Silky's, I had five eggs in the nest, and the next moorning it was empty. The feed store sold me a couple nest eggs. The next morning I had this
snake in the nest and all eggs missing. Could some one tell me if it is poisinous, my grandkids like to play in the chicken house, & I don't want to expose them to danger. You can see the humps where the eggs are at.
Bobby

 

[sfw2]

Do you have a pic of the head? Looks like a garter snake, but you can tell from the shape of the head and the eyes whether it's a garter snake or a copperhead.

Where are you located?

 

[bgreen65]

Here is the whole snake.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/29334_100_0769.jpg]
Here is the whole snake.

 

[bgreen65]

I am in Marble Falls, TX.

 

[chiknhut]

My RIR eggs kept getting fewer and fewer. Well today we went into the hen house and I found this gigantic snake coming through the chicken wire covering the window opening. It looked just like that. My DH is 5'7. He picked it up(after it was deceased) and held it as high as he could and about 6-8 inches still layed on the ground. If I had been there by myself (which I usually am), I would have made a whole new door. Hopefully, that is the one and only for you and me too and we can get back into the egg business.

 

[warhorse]

Could be a bull snake (aka rat snake)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gopher_snake

They have a rounded head as opposed to a triangular head of a viper. They mimick the coloring of a rattlesnake and even shake their tail and mimick the rattle.

He ate the fake eggs?

Serves him right!

 

[warhorse]

PS: A bullsnake would not be venomous, but they can be somewhat (can we say "pissy" on here? that is exactly what they are...). I don't think copperheads get big enough to be confused with a bullsnake, but copperheads are highly venomous... usually identified by the triangular head. I haven't had many snakes since I have increased my cat and dog population, though.

 

[warhorse]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agkistrodon_contortrix

copperhead, for reference. I can't see very clearly in your photo if it's head is more like the bullsnake or the copperhead.

 

[bgreen65]

I think now that I have seen the pictures, it's a bull snake. 54 inches long. Thanks

 

[robbobbin]

Cut him open and get them eggs back...just thinking if he was just there-just killed, and since they swallow without chewing/crushing-eggs might still be viable.
eewwwww!
hehehe