CountryRealtor
In the Brooder
I've been raising chickens since 2015 and this year has been the worst for predators! First... I had a raccoon that got into my coop after chewing off shingles and through the roof and killing two of my chicks (8 weeks old) and also got into my other coop and killed my 4 yr old hen. I trapped two coons that week and transported them to another area(wanted to kill them but I just can't and my bf was out of town on business). I set a live trap every night with bait in it to assure that they will go to the trap before trying the coop and has worked great so far... A couple weeks go by and I walk out to the coop and see one of my chicks.. now 12 weeks old dead under the coop in the run. I pulled all the remainder chicks out to assure they are safe (in my garage) and assuming a raccoon made its way in.. I pulled the dead chick out and its head and neck was slimy and wet. I then knew it was definitely a snake. I have never in 5 years had a snake in my chicken coop, always in my ducks coop to eat their eggs bc it was easier to access. The snake must have struck another chick and tore all the feathers off of her neck which immediately made me think it was a coon. I had no idea a snake could do that much damage.. I am nursing that one back to health, it is in a trough alone and I'm treating its wound with antimicrobial spray. Seems to be eating well and drinking well. Any tips on how I can treat her better so she heals faster and can get back in with her friends? She really wants to be in with the other girls.
I spent all day yesterday patching and lining the coop with hardware cloth to assure that no more snakes could get in. As I went out this morning to feed my horses(chickens still in garage) the snake was on the side of the coop trying to get in. I ran to get my snake grabber and a trash can to put him in and came back and he was GONE!!! Literally 30 seconds later. Can't find him anywhere... I really wanted to get him so he can't come back! I can't afford to lose anymore birds this year. Its so discouraging to come out and see another dead.. I love my chickens so much. How have you all caught snakes and what have you done with them? I'm not opposed to killing a snake that is going after my chickens and kills them but I'm also not opposed to trapping somehow and relocating it. After all, its just trying to get a meal.
Attached is a picture of my wounded chicken that got away from the snake. So sad!
I spent all day yesterday patching and lining the coop with hardware cloth to assure that no more snakes could get in. As I went out this morning to feed my horses(chickens still in garage) the snake was on the side of the coop trying to get in. I ran to get my snake grabber and a trash can to put him in and came back and he was GONE!!! Literally 30 seconds later. Can't find him anywhere... I really wanted to get him so he can't come back! I can't afford to lose anymore birds this year. Its so discouraging to come out and see another dead.. I love my chickens so much. How have you all caught snakes and what have you done with them? I'm not opposed to killing a snake that is going after my chickens and kills them but I'm also not opposed to trapping somehow and relocating it. After all, its just trying to get a meal.
Attached is a picture of my wounded chicken that got away from the snake. So sad!
I am just as confused as you are. I am assuming that it was the snake bc I can see light cuts on the chickens neck that to me look like fang marks. There was a large chunk of feathers from her neck on the ground in the coop. I am assuming the snake didn’t get a good bite on her neck and she was able to run as it pulled the feathers. I have done some research and was unable to find anything on a chicken wounded the same as mine was by a snake. I found it unlikely for 2 different predators to be in the coop in that hour time span that I hadn’t been out there. The snake that I’ve seen twice since the incident looks to be a rat snake.
