Rattlesnake and chicken

[Sherri1990]

My entire flock ran to the edge of the fence so excited by something...so naturally I went to see what. A 4 foot rattlesnake was slithering along my fence!! My chickens were completely unbothered! I couldn’t even speak to yell for my husband. Why on earth did they go over to the snake??? My thought is they would freak out. Any onsite on this?

 

[Ranchhouse304]

Our Guinea just had it out with a snake earlier. Snakes are their natural enemies

 

[Sherri1990]

Our Guinea just had it out with a snake earlier. Snakes are their natural enemies

It didn’t get bit? If that snake came in to the yard I hate to think what could have happened. Oh my....

 

[Araucana Nest]

If the chickens are large fowl mature, the snake will not really mess with them. I have photos with many of my s=hens walking around large rat snakes with no issues at all. The only time snakes have killed an adult of mine was a broody hen defending her nest . Snakes will go for the smaller chickens even when they can't swallow them though. This is a huge problem for me,

 

[Beachcomber]

Thank goodness you & your flock weren't hurt!
An encounter with a venomous snake is one of my worst nightmares & we have plenty of them around!
Earlier this summer, a huge non-venomous pine snake came into our chicken run while I was cleaning out the waterer & made a bee line straight for my then 10 week old pullets! They all ran right towards it like "Cool! That's new! What is it?" If I hadn't been there I'm sure it would've been tragic for my chicken babies! They were way too brave & curious so maybe it's a thing where chicks raised by humans don't have enough sense & caution for predators?

 

[Sherri1990]

If the chickens are large fowl mature, the snake will not really mess with them. I have photos with many of my s=hens walking around large rat snakes with no issues at all. The only time snakes have killed an adult of mine was a broody hen defending her nest . Snakes will go for the smaller chickens even when they can't swallow them though. This is a huge problem for me,

They are 16 weeks old and buff Orpington and black astrolorps. I am thinking about getting adult Guineas but how do I get them to stay? I have 16 acres of land which seems like they would have to work hard to leave. Does anyone have suggestions on this? I don’t want baby guineas.

 

[Kriscam]

Thank goodness you & your flock weren't hurt!
An encounter with a venomous snake is one of my worst nightmares & we have plenty of them around!
Earlier this summer, a huge non-venomous pine snake came into our chicken run while I was cleaning out the waterer & made a bee line straight for my then 10 week old pullets! They all ran right towards it like "Cool! That's new! What is it?" If I hadn't been there I'm sure it would've been tragic for my chicken babies! They were way too brave & curious so maybe it's a thing where chicks raised by humans don't have enough sense & caution for predators?

I have been concerned about the same thing because we often have rattlesnakes in our yard and garden and I don't want to keep my girls in their run all the time. Letting them free range is going to be nerve-wracking I'm afraid. :-(. I will always need to keep an eye on them.

 

[cmom]

Just remember that free ranging is a risk you take. Lessons learned the hard way. If you have snakes around there is something drawing them in which is most likely mice and rats.