OMG I am shaking. Please advise.

[Holly O]

OPPPS internet timed out posted twice.

 

[JenEric Farms]

There is also a Black Rat Snake that is extremely common in the new england area down through florida. When startled it can vibrate it's body in a way to replicate a rattling sound. Commonly found in barns...

Could be this one.

Edited to add: these are non-poisonous and can be useful for keeping rats/mice out of barns...but, if you have chicks in there, i might be worried.

 

[JenEric Farms]

Was the snake all black or did it seem to have as much gray as black?

The reason i am asking is, the rat snake is almost all black and the potential rattlesnake (there are three varieties found in pa) is not solid black, it has as much gray/brown in it as black.

 

[Redyre Rotties]

Someone is either FOS or trying to scare you. There is such a thing as a black tailed Rattlesnake, but it is indigenous only to the American south west.

http://www.sdnhm.org/fieldguide/herps/crot-mol.html

It was probably a black rat snake, but many types of non poisonous snakes mimic the Rattlesnake in self defense.

Hope your chickies are ok.

 

[westexcruzer]

IIRC a bullsnake will shake it's tail and hiss to mimic a rattler. I would not pick one up though. Better safe than sorry. Jake

 

[citrusdreams]

If you can't safely get into your henhouse, or it's not practical for you to remove your chicks for whatever reason, then ask a neighbor to help you out our call animal control right away. They can come and remove it for you. If you don't have animal control, call your sherif and they can direct you. Or maybe they can even help you.

It's a horrible feeling to be scared and feel helpless. Let us know how you resolve it. But don't put yourself in danger. The fact is, you don't know what it is or if it's poisonous or dangerous, so use caution.

 

[claud]

According to my audubon field guide Timber rattlers can range into black and most actually have a black tail.
All the Timber rattlers I've seen in PA(which isn't very many) were lighter colored though.
Maybe the others are right about the black rat snake.

 

[annek]

It could be a black rat snake, apparently they can rattle and are not venomous. I don't know if you have rattlesnakes there but if so, could be that too.

 

[cthrash1]

Very interesting article on snakes of Pennsylvania

http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/pdfs/uh124.pdf

 

[dixie chicken]

I agree, sounds like a harmless snake shaking it's tail to seem like a rattler. King snakes will do the same thing. We have lots of every kind of snake in Alabama! I have seen this done. I would still kill it if it was in or around my chicken coop.