Snake ate my chicken

[TabbyG]

Went outside this morning to let out the chickens for the day - before I could let my 6 babies out (they're seperated from the big gals), I found a 8 foot black snake curled up in the corner with a very FULL midsection (my husband was very surprised to hear that the snake ate one). Luckily one of my girlfriends was over, she opened the coop while I shot the snake. I'm super sad to have lost my little cochin - she was the cutest little lady

. This is the first time I've had a snake around my girls, and I don't want to do it again! I'll have to post a picture later!

*This is the second chicken in 2 weeks - our grown English Sussex went missing (and we've yet to find her) This all rounds out an awful week for me (and it's only Wednesday)!!!

 

[MadHens]

Oh that's awful! How old are the baby chicks?

 

[TabbyG]

Buttercup was about 2 months old, give or take a week. We had 4 around that age w/ 2 older silkies that we bought the same day - they were all the cutest little family





Snake was pretty darn full

 

[JodiLynn]

I am so sorry to hear that you lost one of your chicks. I opened the barn door to our coop last week (industrial size barn and coop) and there is the aiseway was a snake just looking at my coops...I hate killing any animal but the snake had to die! I put lime around my barn to help with this (a suggestion from my mom who had the same problem). maybe other will have suugestions as well. Again sorry to hear you lost some as I know how attached we can get to them.

 

[TabbyG]

Limes or lyme? Sorry - just wasn't sure if I needed to be using fruit or something else!

 

[Habibs Hens]

Lime yes


aparrently mammels snakes coons dogs and cats etc etc

hate the smell of citrus

be it lime or lemon or even orange extract

here in UK we can buy cats/dogs away which is a citrus gel

sprinkle it around the area you dont want them and they will stay away

 

[TabbyG]

Well I'll be... looks like I need to get me some limes - heck, I need to plant a lime tree! Is there a need to cut them, or do you just lay them around whole? Thanks for the tips, ya'll!

 

[satay]

I have pet snakes and the age your chicken babies are now is the right size for a hungry snake. You will need to secure your babies better so that snakes are not able to get to them. It is getting towards the end of summer over there if I am right so the snakes from now til the begining of winter will try to eat as much as they can to get ready to hybernate as winter approaches.I am sorry for the loss of your chicken.

 

[Habibs Hens]

Well I'll be... looks like I need to get me some limes - heck, I need to plant a lime tree! Is there a need to cut them, or do you just lay them around whole? Thanks for the tips, ya'll!

sqeese the liquid out

the main thing to make sure is the citrus smell eminates

its the citrus smell they hate