Snake in duck pen!

[ForeverSunshine]

So, Alexis (sitting on eggs in her pen) was really hissing and quacking up a storm, so I went outside to see what was wrong, and I didn't see it at first, but I caught just a glimpse of scales. I took a closer look and I saw this big dark snake trying to eat one of her eggs! Alexis was trying her best to keep it away and I'm not certain why she didn't kill it (my other ducks eat snakes all the time), but anyway, she didn't. So I got my dad, and we moved her house up and over her and the nest. He tried kill it, but it got away. I think it may have cracked one egg, but no more than that. So now everybody's chill. Except for me, who even as an animal lover wants that snake dead before it can kill my chances of ducklings that I have worked so hard for.

I don't even know why I'm writing this thread. I know how to kill it, but I just kinda wanted to say this to someone.....

 

[Attila the Hen]

In two years I have been fortunate not to have lost a chicken to a predator, but this week I put 3 chicks in the coop for 15 minutes to air out ( they live in the bathroom) and when I returned there was a King snake in the coop and it had eaten one of my chicks.
Like you, I am an animal lover and didn't kill the snake. My neighbor, bless him, got it and relocated it. It may not be so lucky next time--I may kill it. I think you need to make sure you get it if it returns and it probably will. My full grown hens were oblivious but the babies are in danger.

 

[ForeverSunshine]

In two years I have been fortunate not to have lost a chicken to a predator, but this week I put 3 chicks in the coop for 15 minutes to air out ( they live in the bathroom) and when I returned there was a King snake in the coop and it had eaten one of my chicks.
Like you, I am an animal lover and didn't kill the snake. My neighbor, bless him, got it and relocated it. It may not be so lucky next time--I may kill it. I think you need to make sure you get it if it returns and it probably will. My full grown hens were oblivious but the babies are in danger.

Oh, I'm so sorry! As much as I adore every animal that walks this earth, one that feeds off of baby animals is not one of my favorites. They kill baby mice (having gerbils has made me love mice, though they're a pain in the butt), chicks, ducklings, eggs, everything. I didn't want to hurt it, because I thought it was a Black Racer and therefore harmless, but it was a muddy brown with a distinct pattern on it. Like a rug of some sort.

It will die next time it comes near my ducks. And as terrible as that makes me feel, as much of a horrid person as I may be, it's either the snake's life or about 20 soon-to-be duckling's.