Rat Snake under hen

[Magnolia Ducks]

Yep, they can climb straight up the side of the barn. The first time I saw it, I was so I looked them up and they can climb almost any vertical surface. It seems to defy nature.

 

[casportpony]

Yep, they can climb straight up the side of the barn. The first time I saw it, I was so I looked them up and they can climb almost any vertical surface. It seems to defy nature.

That is creepy! Which ones can climb fences?

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Not really scary. Other than losing an occasional egg, these guys are pretty beneficial. You don't want them around little ducklings as they will squeeze them and eat them whole. But once grown they don't bother the ducks and keep the rodents in check.

If you have a Blanca duck, you don't have to worry about rodents: She has already swallowed countless mice that dared walking into the duck-house to steal duck-pellets and shared the content of a mouse-nest with two of her sisters.
And for snakes and lizards - well she must be somewhat closer related to her ancestors, the velociraptors as the other ducks: Nothing is safe that fits into her bill.

 

[Texag87]

@Magnolia Ducks this is from our family farm about 65 miles southwest of you.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

I don't think Bianca will be swallowing that.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Black snakes are good at vertical climbs we watched one start on the ground climb the side of the house and almost make it to top of the roof before it gave up. The other day I was cleaning up and had the black hose pulled out my dh came out and we were talking I reached down to pick up the hose and it moved I almost picked up a 5’ black snake that was cocky enough to slither right next to my foot. It was heading under the goose house so I ended up having to grab it any way and hand it to my dh so he could walk it down the road an away from my ducklings an chicks. That thing was strong and big around too.

 

[JadeFarms]

I love rat snakes!

I catch wild snakes, yesterday I caught a 4.5 foot long indigo. My normal day.

 

[GenStewart]

I've killed several of these egg stealing sneak thieves. Make a hole in an egg,drain the contents out,fill the egg with anti-freeze,seal the egg with a glue gun. I got tired of having the hell scared out of me,every time I went into the coop.

 

[Callender Girl]

I am glad that, while some folks here are not big snake fans, no one said, "Kill it, kill it now!"

I have always had a soft spot for snakes. None have bothered my girls, but a few years ago -- when the bull snakes were everywhere and growing quite large -- I had a robin's nest in a shrub near the house. The mama was going crazy, and I looked over in time to see little bird feet sticking out of a snake's mouth. I got nicknamed "The Snake Whisperer" for grabbing said 4-footer and lecturing him (believe me, I wasn't whispering) all the way to his new home, past the barn. When I returned, a giant companion was also entwined in the shrub. I unlaced this one and sent it to live with the murderer on the other side of the barn.

My job as a kid was to make sure my mother, who was deathly afraid of snakes, didn't hack them all to pieces. I carried many a snake to safety.

 

[Shadrach]

Look at what I just found, as in just a few minutes ago!View attachment 1805032

He's lovely.