Rat snake

[Lazy Farmer]

had some bite marks on her thigh that looked very much like snake bites.

Rat snakes do not have fangs or very sharp teeth.
Hubby had pet snakes when we first met. He rarely got bit but when he did it barely broke the skin. Kinda like a lizard biting.
My last reply,
12 weeks = 3 m/o. Those are big birds.
2 foot is a young rat snake, if it was identified correctly.
Even these mamba rat snakes we caught on our property wouldn't attack a 3 m/o chicken.

these were caught because they were eating our eggs. BUT, the chicken/egg scent did not attract them.. it's the rodent problem we have. The rats go after chicken feed and then poop and pee near the chickens.. then the snakes find the eggs by accident.

Rat snake food...

 

[happyfrenchman]

Sounds like a snake killed your bird, but it is likely not that little snake you saw..... they will kill a small pullet... always one you really like. (it is a rule). I would look carefully inside the coop for the culprit.

 

[nancykay2kay]

Sounds like a snake killed your bird, but it is likely not that little snake you saw..... they will kill a small pullet... always one you really like. (it is a rule). I would look carefully inside the coop for the culprit.

 

[nancykay2kay]

That makes sense. I have put snake repellent all around the coop and fence. I have shored up any cracks in the coop. Two of the chickens would not go in the coop last night and slept on a tree branch in the run. I don't feel good about this entire endeavor. It goes really good until it doesn't. I feel like I didn't do my part in keeping them safe.

 

[techbsmith]

I'm curious what type of "snake repellant" you are using... it's very likely that you are creating more danger for your birds than help. As most others have said - it sounds like you have a rodent problem as the root. I have found at least 3 clutches of rat snakes in my yard this year, probably a half a dozen or more individuals that were about the length you describe as well. One was eating a tree frog - these snakes would likely end up a meal to my chickens before they could harm them. I'll agree that an adult rat snake could kill a chicken, but it can't eat it.

Before you go to a large expense - try this. Put a 5 gallon bucket in the coop just after dark/after chickens roost. You'll want about 5-6" of water in the bucket - smear some peanut butter on the inside of the bucket down pretty deep and lean a board or something easy to climb against the bucket. If you have drowned rats/mice in the morning, you have found the culprit.

 

[happyfrenchman]

Well.... you are only human.... It is a good lesson to pay attention to the clues around you.... I myself have been guilty.

If it is a snake, it is likely inside the coop hidden. They generally don't go far from their food sources.... Be careful while hunting it.... I would use a pitchfork and a shovel. .... kind of excitement is only good in short increments. LOL. They bite if given the chance... don't let it get you.

 

[KikiLeigh02]

If they aren't wanting to go back in there, I would think there is a good chance the culprit is still in there. If there is a 1/2 crack that would be plenty big for a small maybe adolescent weasel. Bite marks on the thigh were the only injury? If that's the case there may have been a different cause of death and then something scavenging.

 

[nancykay2kay]

I'm curious what type of "snake repellant" you are using... it's very likely that you are creating more danger for your birds than help. As most others have said - it sounds like you have a rodent problem as the root. I have found at least 3 clutches of rat snakes in my yard this year, probably a half a dozen or more individuals that were about the length you describe as well. One was eating a tree frog - these snakes would likely end up a meal to my chickens before they could harm them. I'll agree that an adult rat snake could kill a chicken, but it can't eat it.

Before you go to a large expense - try this. Put a 5 gallon bucket in the coop just after dark/after chickens roost. You'll want about 5-6" of water in the bucket - smear some peanut butter on the inside of the bucket down pretty deep and lean a board or something easy to climb against the bucket. If you have drowned rats/mice in the morning, you have found the culprit.

I think it was a snake but probably not the one I saw. I will try the bucket and peanut butter tonight. I was using Liquid Fence Snake Repellent, it is not supposed to harmful to wildlife, birds or domestic animals. It smells like cinnamon and cloves. If one goes by the price then it should work very good. I don't want to continue keeping chickens if I can't keep them safe. I was mostly worried about airborne predators.

 

[alexa009]

Rat snakes are aggressive and non-venomous but I find it hard to believe they would kill a chicken but I guess it happens. My relatives had a broody hen on her eggs last summer and a snake chased the hen and ate the eggs. Not sure what kind of snake it was.

 

[nancykay2kay]

I'm curious what type of "snake repellant" you are using... it's very likely that you are creating more danger for your birds than help. As most others have said - it sounds like you have a rodent problem as the root. I have found at least 3 clutches of rat snakes in my yard this year, probably a half a dozen or more individuals that were about the length you describe as well. One was eating a tree frog - these snakes would likely end up a meal to my chickens before they could harm them. I'll agree that an adult rat snake could kill a chicken, but it can't eat it.

Before you go to a large expense - try this. Put a 5 gallon bucket in the coop just after dark/after chickens roost. You'll want about 5-6" of water in the bucket - smear some peanut butter on the inside of the bucket down pretty deep and lean a board or something easy to climb against the bucket. If you have drowned rats/mice in the morning, you have found the culprit.

I am going to need a therapist before this is over. How much peanut butter do you use and what if the mice aren't dead? By the way, thanks for your reply.