***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[dunnmom]

Wish I could have ducks. I have a wild mallard pair that frequent our backyard pond, but we have a large city park a block from us with a bigger better one. All kinds water birds live there. We would lose them in a heartbeat.

 

[artsyrobin]

unless you could build a duck run, there are some pretty ones, ours hang out by the chickens and guineas- but poor Mr Duck was down to Niblet and one broody muscovy, Niblet disappeared, thought she was broody the way he was acting, but she never came back

 

[NanaKat]

It's not a bobcat getting my turkeys. It's a cougar. My daughter saw it yesterday about a hundred yards north of the house when she was walking down to get a pet she thought was by the pond. She thought it was a really huge dog, until she recognized a feline body and a long smooth tail. She was close enough to throw a bottle of Pepsi at it and yell. It turned his head, switched its tail a couple times and looked at her then just walked into the trees. A minute later two fawns came squirting out of the woods. We figured there was a fawn there cause a doe has been hanging around.
We've found blood and feathers on top of a six foot fence so I was beginning to think it wasn't a bobcat, no evidence of anything going under. We've seen tracks in mud for several years now and suspected, but this is the first time we've seen it.
No more little grand kids getting the eggs.

Good enough reason to hunt it down right there. If it's not impressed with people it's gotta go

Amen! Remember to cut off an ear for DNA for the Wildlife Dept. to use.

We have had several snakes this year too. The minnow trap works for the smaller snakes....a hoe or limb loppers were great.

 

[CLSranch]

After spending 2 days catching up on the past 3 wks not on line, I'm getting a minnow trap and asking what to do about the bigger snakes. At the old place I had all eggs (9 a day at that time) were ate if not gathered. I started having dead bantams laying around with wet heads that were wet. Got a 6 footer THEN caught a 4' 6'' on FULL grown RIR hen. That is my pic that you see. Now at the new place I've had several hens set and brood then the chicks come up missing. I put a cage in there with my setters hoping that if a snake could get in there he couldn't get out. I lose some (down to my last 1 out of 30 eggs) every other day. My GF is home taking care of them. Hopefully after this Friday I'm home and can catch it. Until then and after I hit the next job WHAT CAN I DO? I have ceramic eggs, golf balls and a light bulb which all have been moved and regurgitated. It tells me this one is of good size.

 

[artsyrobin]

After spending 2 days catching up on the past 3 wks not on line, I'm getting a minnow trap and asking what to do about the bigger snakes. At the old place I had all eggs (9 a day at that time) were ate if not gathered. I started having dead bantams laying around with wet heads that were wet. Got a 6 footer THEN caught a 4' 6'' on FULL grown RIR hen. That is my pic that you see. Now at the new place I've had several hens set and brood then the chicks come up missing. I put a cage in there with my setters hoping that if a snake could get in there he couldn't get out. I lose some (down to my last 1 out of 30 eggs) every other day. My GF is home taking care of them. Hopefully after this Friday I'm home and can catch it. Until then and after I hit the next job WHAT CAN I DO? I have ceramic eggs, golf balls and a light bulb which all have been moved and regurgitated. It tells me this one is of good size.

i have been told snakes hate clove oil, so ordered some and will be spraying it around the coop and runs- don't know if its true or not

 

[Elwood Lightfoot]

Quote: I would think the minnow trap should work for larger snakes as well if placed right, There is plenty of room in them to hold a 6' plus snake.
This Thread has more info on using them, https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/515899/best-way-ive-found-yet-to-deal-with-snake-problems/0_100
I would perhaps trim the openings slightly to allow more room for them to get in but not too much though. I've caught a couple of Rat snakes around 6' wish I'd taken pic's to update the thread but, didn't think about it at the time...

 

[Ironsights]

After spending 2 days catching up on the past 3 wks not on line, I'm getting a minnow trap and asking what to do about the bigger snakes. At the old place I had all eggs (9 a day at that time) were ate if not gathered. I started having dead bantams laying around with wet heads that were wet. Got a 6 footer THEN caught a 4' 6'' on FULL grown RIR hen. That is my pic that you see. Now at the new place I've had several hens set and brood then the chicks come up missing. I put a cage in there with my setters hoping that if a snake could get in there he couldn't get out. I lose some (down to my last 1 out of 30 eggs) every other day. My GF is home taking care of them. Hopefully after this Friday I'm home and can catch it. Until then and after I hit the next job WHAT CAN I DO? I have ceramic eggs, golf balls and a light bulb which all have been moved and regurgitated. It tells me this one is of good size.

Look for them in or around the nest boxes, (I made the mistake of not looking first, ONCE), and look up along the eves of your coop. If you use bedding on the floor, they will bury themselves usually along the walls, or corners and not necessarily coiled but just along the wall. I stepped on one buried along the wall. I'll bet it was a hoot watching me with that one. I've learned to always carry a stick in the bird houses. If it sounds like I have a lot of snakes I do and I don't relocate. The birds will also sometimes tell by the way they act, making a lot of noise or being reluctant to go in the coops. I have not lost any grown birds (except to the cougar) and I think it's because I check for them all the time. I tried to snake proof but I'm beginning to think they drop down from the trees over the coops, I'm going to try the netting on the roof. I haven't found any outside. Funny thing is I haven't found small ones, all over 4 feet six. I've had no venomous snakes.

 

[artsyrobin]

Quote: thats true, watch the behavior of the flock, went in last week and the girls were on the opposite side they normally are - yep, one was in a cage on the wall - later that night after relocation he was back in the coop moving along the interior wall

 

[CLSranch]

When I'm home I check all the corners with a flashlight several times a day. My GF has learned to check in the corners behind the tin and behind the nest box. Behind the nest box is where she found the last one.

 

[NanaKat]

Most snakes in the hen house are immediately put down. They return otherwise.
A friend brought me snake handling hooks a while back after hearing a story about me getting wound up by a snake while working fence. I stepped on its head in high grass and the snake coiled up my legs...not my finest hour!!!
The only way I relocate a snake is when a friend wants one to skin for a belt or hatband. That snake goes in a cotton sack tied in a knot.