Snake in Coop

[Liza]

Hello All,

Last night about 11:30 we heard our girls making a racket. I went out and checked on them and sure enough there was a snake in the coop. Called my husband and he took the snake out of the coop and killed it. The snake was on the roost post and now my girls won't go on the roost. Can chickens smell? Will I need to wash the roost post off before they get back on? Any suggestions?

Thanks for any help you can give me.

 

[justusnak]

Im not sure if they can smell...but they do have a good memory. They will go back up there. Just might take them a few days. Took mine a few days to get back in the nest box, after I shot a mink up there. I think was 2 days or so. Was it a black snake? Ewwww, darned egg eaters!!

 

[gumpsgirl]

Oh geez! My worst fear of going into my coop!!! My DH is gone most of the time, so that leaves me on my own to take care of these sort of things.

If the problem is they can smell the snake (which I personally think they are just scared to get back on the roosts from their experience), try rubbing the roosts down with a vegetable oil and tea tree oil mixture. That will fix any "snake" smells

and freshen your coop! Hope this helps and good luck with the snakes!

 

[Liza]

I was thinking it was something like that. I will try the oil and see if that helps but I think you are right, they are just scared. I can tell you I laid awake for quite a while after the ordeal. My first thought was to shoot the snake! Husband talked me out of it and I only gave in because I did not want a hole in the coop!

I looked on the web and the snake was a Texas rat snake. After reading about it I'm not sure if it was after the girls or just looking for mice. The girls are about six weeks old so I'm thinking they were on the menu.

 

[cluckychick]

HaHa, was eating dinner last night and black snake slithered about 12-14 inches out of a hole in the ceiling by the fireplace. I told everyone to let him come on down and I'd catch him and take him/her outside but she just looked around and went back up the hole, lol I have 21 chicks in a brooder in the living room, the snake won't bother them will he? They are like 4 and 7 weeks old.

 

[JimnJanet]

Quote:
Wow, that's prety cool Nancy. I've been finding skins in my attic from a black snake that i'm guessin goes well over 6' and the hugest girth i have ever seen on a black snake. I sure wish she would show herslef someday. Fat chance tho. our house was built in 1830 so there are lots o' places for her to stay out of sight and plenty o' places fer critters to git in and feed her.
4 weeks is a pretty decent sized chick. From lonnng experince with snakes of all species i would say that if yer snake got a hold o' one she would most likely kill it but be unable to eat it. Unless yer snake is HUGE but i can't see a black snake bein large enough to handle the task. Assuming we are talking about the common North American black rat snake..elaphe obsoleta obsoleta ?
I would jist keep yer brooder secure and if you don't mind, and i don't think you do, jist leave yer snake alone and you won't have any rodent problems in yer house.
FYI, if she is living in yer house..then you allready have rodents. When the food runs out..she will leave.
THANK YOU FOR NOT HARMING HER
Jim