Rat snake

[Cheeki]

I found a rat snake eating duck eggs from a nest in the bottom of an old freezer a week or so ago and it got away. The next week I found a pullet dead with a slimy head. Last night I caught the snake eating more duck eggs from a different nest.
This time I went and got my hubby and had him shoot it.
Once they discover tasty eggs and easy food, they are of no use for me. They cost me time, money and effort.
My yard is full of rat snakes and black snakes. This one was a resident of my back yard for a very long time as we had crossed paths before. It’s common sense to know I’d end up having to kill it. I hate killing beneficial snakes, but once they start eating eggs they’ll continue.

 

[nchls school]

I, too, had a horrid problem with snakes eating eggs and chicks; even killing broody hens that did not flee the nest. We've been using commercial snake repellent and the stuff seems to be working. It has been a month or so and no snake raids, where before nests were being destroyed at least once a week. Now it's possums and the neighbor's dogs.

 

[amenfarm]

what snake repellent? how did you put it out so the hens left it alone?

 

[nchls school]

Snake Stopper-has to be reapplied at least every other week-supposed to have a scent that snakes avoid-nontoxic to birds. It burns if you get it on your skin.

 

[bernie131]

I found a rat snake eating duck eggs from a nest in the bottom of an old freezer a week or so ago and it got away. The next week I found a pullet dead with a slimy head. Last night I caught the snake eating more duck eggs from a different nest.
This time I went and got my hubby and had him shoot it.
Once they discover tasty eggs and easy food, they are of no use for me. They cost me time, money and effort.
My yard is full of rat snakes and black snakes. This one was a resident of my back yard for a very long time as we had crossed paths before. It’s common sense to know I’d end up having to kill it. I hate killing beneficial snakes, but once they start eating eggs they’ll continue.

I have a black snake that keeps coming in for my ducks eggs. He got one and keeps coming back and now my duck is afraid to sit on her eggs. How do I get rid of it?

 

[nchls school]

A live trap baited with eggs might work.
I had the same problem a month ago and caught the snakes by checking the nest frequently. I also caught one using plastic garden netting wadded up loosely and put over the nest at night. The snake got caught up in the netting and was unable to flee.

 

[Al Gerhart]

If you have rat snakes you also have..





Rats.

Stop feeding the rats and mice, the population of rodents drops to a level that the natural food in the area will support and the snakes will have to move to where there are more rodents.

 

[papajoesfarm]

I have two options when dealing with snakes or large lizards. We have both here in Florida

Option #1: You can catch snakes using the large glue traps that are sold in any Hardware store. Large snakes can be best caught using a wood box trap. Here are directions for making one: Making Snake Trap. I have used both, and usuallly just haul out the box trap. Buddies also swear by minnow traps. I try to catch them and release them in a wilderness area nearby, but if it's a question of my chickens or the snake, the snake loses, every time.

Option #2: Bird shot in either a .410 or 20 gauge shotgun will do the trick. My Dad would whip out his .45 Colt and drill them through the head, but that was a different time.

Just be careful when attempting to relocate one, and if they have a diamond shape head and rattles, do NOT try to handle them. Just go directly to Option #2. Yup - they do eat rats, but rattlesnakes kill people, every year. Do not try to be cute with one.

 

[bernie131]

If you have rat snakes you also have..





Rats.

Stop feeding the rats and mice, the population of rodents drops to a level that the natural food in the area will support and the snakes will have to move to where there are more rodents.

What is the difference between a black snake and rat snake?

If you have rat snakes you also have..





Rats.

Stop feeding the rats and mice, the population of rodents drops to a level that the natural food in the area will support and the snakes will have to move to where there are more rodents.

What is the difference between a black snake and a rat snake?

 

[MomJones]

I found a rat snake eating duck eggs from a nest in the bottom of an old freezer a week or so ago and it got away. The next week I found a pullet dead with a slimy head. Last night I caught the snake eating more duck eggs from a different nest.
This time I went and got my hubby and had him shoot it.
Once they discover tasty eggs and easy food, they are of no use for me. They cost me time, money and effort.
My yard is full of rat snakes and black snakes. This one was a resident of my back yard for a very long time as we had crossed paths before. It’s common sense to know I’d end up having to kill it. I hate killing beneficial snakes, but once they start eating eggs they’ll continue.

I strongly advise against commercial snake repellent. A) It's highly toxic to the environment and B) It doesn't work. My husband was such a big proponent of Snake Rid (all snake repellant contains serious toxins) and he spread massive amounts around our 20 x 60 foot chicken run two years ago after we kept seeing rat snakes inside the run. It didn't slow them down a bit. I mean not at all. The following weeks saw return visits from the same couple of snakes, which I then killed with my rake by breaking their backs and thereby incapacitating them.

The following Fall we had a mass influx of rats. They stole the eggs, they stole baby chicks right out from underneath the mother, they were everywhere. So now? I welcome our resident rat snake (I named him Lester). He can have whatever he wants as long as he keeps the rats "gone". Rats are far more dangerous than rat snakes, in so many ways. They carry disease, they'll chew on support posts, they'll get into your food garden and if you live in an older house like we do, they will work their way inside to steal whatever dog food or cat food they can find. Rats are bad news. We do live in an older farm house and we've had quite a frustrating time with rats. We keep everything closed up, cleaned out but, as the saying goes: Everything Likes Chicken.