snake bane

[fivebigreds]

We were in the yard yesterday evening and i heard my 3 BB red pullets going " cheep cheep cheep cheep cheep " rapidly .
I looked and they were standing in a row on tipie toes looking down the body of a 4 foot black snake. I called my husband and he can running with a hammer and crushed its head. I'm sure the snake had already sized them up and decided they were to much to swallow. My little girls were so brave.

 

[roosters97]

Why kill? they will eat your rats ,mice, voles ,moles

heres mine

 

[fivebigreds]

Quote:
will eat your eggs and baby chicks

 

[roosters97]

Quote:
will eat your eggs and baby chicks

doubt that,the eggs yes the chick's not

 

[dacjohns]

Roosters97, is that a black racer you have there?

Some snakes will eat chicks. One of the members lost a bunch of chicks to a snake. After she killed the snake she cut it open and it had chicks in it.

I'm pretty sure I lost a chick to a rat snake only it couldn't get the whole thing down. Just the head and neck and then spit it back up.


fivebigreds, I understand your reaction but the snakes do help keep the rodents down. Better to try and snakeproof your chickens' lodging and/or relocate the snake.

 

[Somechick]

I had adult hens (multiple) killed by rats. Took me awhile to figure out what was killing them by eating out their guts while they were on their nests inside a fortress of a pen (12 x 12 beams with multiple layers of wire). A hole in the floor was where the rats were entering and leaving. I poisoned the rats (after trying other methods...) and the bodies filled a large washtub. I protect my self raised chicks well (I raise them in a brooder that is snake and cat proof) and the mother hens have sense enough to protect chicks (not eggs) from a snake.

Give me snakes anytime! I'll pay em to hang out with a few eggs or even chicks!

And as I tell everyone who kills a non poisonous snake...when you remove a snake, especially a rat (chicken) snake from its niche, you leave a void, which nature hates as they say. It WILL be filled. A poisonous snake may fill that void and they are much harder to see.

 

[roosters97]

Quote:
no, rat snake,And i meant to put "hens"

 

[roosters97]

Quote:
^^^

 

[fivebigreds]

fivebigreds, I understand your reaction but the snakes do help keep the rodents down. Better to try and snakeproof your chickens' lodging and/or relocate the snake.

They do indead kill chicks and eat eggs.
I have one inch poultry netting around the pen and they can breese right through it.
To quote a man i did not like " the only good snake is a dead snake"​

 

[chilling in muscadine]

Snake proof your coop for sure. Rat's do far more damage, plus rat & king snake's eat other snake's like venemous one's. Professional snake handler & catcher here. Peace.