Rat snake killed a hen

[Caged Hen]

This one is a first for us. It's always something and I'm getting weary of fighting so hard to keep our animals AND garden thriving and well. Never lost a chicken to a snake before.

That is very unusual. I've seen a snake slither among my chickens and never touch them.
So how old was your hen, if you don't mind me asking. The reason I'm asking is to know how big the chicken was and the circumstances. Were they locked in a run?
Mine are 3 months old and just now beginning to get big and i would be shocked if a snake could catch one. Normally my chickens bother the snake. I never let my smaller chickens outside until they are bigger than snake food. I had 6ft long rat snakes that could swallow 6 eggs at a time.
And very sorry about your chicken.

Well, we have learned the hard way that a rat snake will kill a chicken and even try to eat it when in fact the chicken is much too large to swallow. Found one of our cochin/silkie mixes (one of the triplets) dead; eyes open, head and neck slimy. There is no way the snake could have consumed her so what a waste. Our run is so predator proof (even for a weasel), except for snakes obviously. We have foam spray around the edges and are going to somehow cover the small gap where we access the nest boxes. There isn't anywhere else it could have entered. Such a waste; poor girl. I did not know until this year that a snake would try to eat a full grown chicken. We've had chickens since 2013.

 

[Cheeki]

This one is a first for us. It's always something and I'm getting weary of fighting so hard to keep our animals AND garden thriving and well. Never lost a chicken to a snake before.

I found a rat snake in my mallard hens favorite nesting spot. There were 8 chickens gathered around it just looking at it. It was a big female and she was quite docile since she just downed two mallard eggs.
I didn’t kill her because she keeps the rat population down in my yard. I just moved the nesting spot which was an old upright freezer laying on its back. The nesting spot was in the bottom. No more problems since she went under the coop porch and I filled the hole she went throughwith big chunks of concrete.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Well, they come for the rats and once the rats are gone, what are they gonna eat? Rodents draw all sorts of predators so deal with the rodents first and the predators will be forced to leave.

 

[Cheeki]

Well, they come for the rats and once the rats are gone, what are they gonna eat? Rodents draw all sorts of predators so deal with the rodents first and the predators will be forced to leave.

I live on property that’s 75% wooded. I’ve seen two mice and one rat in 13 years on this property. There’s a high population of rat snakes and black snakes on the property. They sun themselves on my front porch.
There are, however plenty of other small prey they can eat. They can leave my eggs and chickens alone.

 

[neo71665]

Seen rat snakes kill many chickens, chicks, and eggs growing up around chickens. When I was a kid my great grandma would grab the things out of nests and snap them like a whip popping their neck. Granny always checked on her chickens with a hoe in hand just for them. Personally I have a .22 pistol with rat shot just for them. Snakes have no place in the chicken coop.

 

[Cheeki]

Seen rat snakes kill many chickens, chicks, and eggs growing up around chickens. When I was a kid my great grandma would grab the things out of nests and snap them like a whip popping their neck. Granny always checked on her chickens with a hoe in hand just for them. Personally I have a .22 pistol with rat shot just for them. Snakes have no place in the chicken coop.

My son helps me out with dispatching the snakes. My mallard girl really appreciates it.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

The snake actually killed 2 chickens. The first one being this huge white one. She was heavy and couldn't walk well. They are 3 months old. Not to be too disturbing (the whole situation is unpleasant), but both chicken's heads were wet, shiny, and matted down from the snake's attempt to eat.

I’m so sorry.
Your roo is gorgeous.

 

[neo71665]

My son helps me out with dispatching the snakes. My mallard girl really appreciates it.

Never caught them around the ducks or geese but those lived on the pond so rarely even found where they nested at in the woods.

 

[Usedtowanna]

Were they locked in the coop? Was it at nighttime? I can't remember what time of day it was when I caught the snake on the roost.
And yes I've heard of chicks that were wet and matted from the snake trying to eat the bird...what a terrible way to die.
Fortunately I now have a concrete floor, so no snakes..although now I am fighting the mice constantly in summer.

Yes they were locked in their coop.

 

[Usedtowanna]

Im

Well, we have learned the hard way that a rat snake will kill a chicken and even try to eat it when in fact the chicken is much too large to swallow. Found one of our cochin/silkie mixes (one of the triplets) dead; eyes open, head and neck slimy. There is no way the snake could have consumed her so what a waste. Our run is so predator proof (even for a weasel), except for snakes obviously. We have foam spray around the edges and are going to somehow cover the small gap where we access the nest boxes. There isn't anywhere else it could have entered. Such a waste; poor girl. I did not know until this year that a snake would try to eat a full grown chicken. We've had chickens since 2013.

I'm sorry. I ended up buying snake repellant to sprinkle around the perimeter and since then things have been ok.