So I get home from my Spanish class and it's a little after 9:00pm. I didn't shut the chicken door before I left because I thought my husband would remember to do it, but I didn't call him so it didn't get done.
When I got home I checked and about six of the 49 five+ week old chicks were sleeping outside which surprised me because even though it's warm (in mid 70's) but it's been VERY windy today and the wind was bothering them earlier
I put my big spotlight in the coop and eventually all six walked back in. Then as I was walking away I heard that PEEP! sound like one was in distress, but it wasn't that repeatative PEEP! PEEP! PEEP!
I was also taking groceries into the house so I took what I had in my hands into the house and went back to check....guess what I found????
A freakin' RAT SNAKE wrapped around the neck of one of my Buff Cochins!
The dang snake was only the thickness of a Sharpie marker, what the heck was it going to do with the chick..not eat it!
I yelled for my husband because at first I thought it was a baby rattlesnake (they look a lot alike). He came rushing out and grabbed a floor squeegee and squeeged the snake to death, then we made sure my smashing his head in with a rock bar! (The snake...not my husband..!)
Bye Rat Snake....!
....the chick seems okay and she immediately ran away. As long as she doesn't go shocky I think she'll survive.
We had problems with rat snakes before but only after we started getting eggs. I think I'll get some chalk eggs and put around the coop because if a bigger snake finds the chicks they don't stand a chance.
When I got home I checked and about six of the 49 five+ week old chicks were sleeping outside which surprised me because even though it's warm (in mid 70's) but it's been VERY windy today and the wind was bothering them earlier
I put my big spotlight in the coop and eventually all six walked back in. Then as I was walking away I heard that PEEP! sound like one was in distress, but it wasn't that repeatative PEEP! PEEP! PEEP!
I was also taking groceries into the house so I took what I had in my hands into the house and went back to check....guess what I found????
A freakin' RAT SNAKE wrapped around the neck of one of my Buff Cochins!
The dang snake was only the thickness of a Sharpie marker, what the heck was it going to do with the chick..not eat it!
I yelled for my husband because at first I thought it was a baby rattlesnake (they look a lot alike). He came rushing out and grabbed a floor squeegee and squeeged the snake to death, then we made sure my smashing his head in with a rock bar! (The snake...not my husband..!)
Bye Rat Snake....!
....the chick seems okay and she immediately ran away. As long as she doesn't go shocky I think she'll survive.
We had problems with rat snakes before but only after we started getting eggs. I think I'll get some chalk eggs and put around the coop because if a bigger snake finds the chicks they don't stand a chance.
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