Snake problems

[FarmerGilland]

Apparently the answer is to kill it but I hate to since chicken snakes get the bad snakes away. However, he was after my baby turkeys. I did save all 5 of the babies. But my question is how do I keep this from happening again? Is there something that I can put out to keep snakes away!!!! Plz help me. I'm terrified of snakes and I'm afraid I will walk in the coop and the stupid thing land on my head!

 

[jak2002003]

Wow - great photo! I never heard of a 'chicken snake'. Its got lovely colours, but I can understand why you don't want it near your chicks! I looked it up and found out its harmless (to people).

I am in Thailand and I had a python eating my adult ducks - the thing was over 2 metres long.

I don't think you can do anything to deter snakes - they don't seem to get put off my any smelly things or rough surfaces etc.

The only thing you can do is make sure the coop is snake proof - with no small holes for it to get in. Also in the area around the coop make sure there is no long grass or things the snake can hide under. Snakes don't like to be out in the open as things will spot them and eat them.

How big was that snake? It does not look like it would be able to eat a full grown chicken or turkey so you might just have to keep up guard for a couple more weeks.

Over here most snakes are killed on site and eaten by the villagers! Some Buddhist people (or people like me who hate killing things without good reason) will catch the snakes and put them in a sack and then release them into the jungle. If you don't want to kill it maybe someone can catch it and release it far away form your home?

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[ColbyNTX]

It's hard to keep them away. If you want to catch it, you can use a minnow trap. The round ones that have the inverted cone's on each end with a little hole in the end of the cones.

Like this: http://www.basspro.com/Frabill-Delu...3399&SST=1f455bdc-d18f-65a9-fbe5-000018864590

You will have to dig a little trench so the opening will be easy to get into. Like 1/3 of the trap under ground so a snake going along the ground can slither streight into the trap. You can put a couple eggs in the trap go it goes in to get it but cant get out. Then you could relocate it if you don't want to kill it. I keep a 4' piece of 3/4" PVC pipe with a loop of electrical wire as a snake catcher when I have the cottonmouth's and copperheads in the coop. Double the wire up and feed it through the PVC so a loop comes out 1 end. Then you just slide the loop over the snakes head and pull it tight from the other end. All of my coops with babies or quail are made of 1/2X1/2 wire so snakes can not get to them.

 

[katagra]

It's pretty easy to deter snakes, since they're very sensitive to sulphur.
Just liberally sprinkle some around your pen and when he tastes the air with his tongue,
he'll attempt to go around it. Just don't trap him inside. =)
You should be able to obtain a small bag of yellow sulphur at a feed store,
or maybe a hardware store.

Beautiful snake, by the way. I believe they're just rat snakes, but if they're not solid black,
people around here call them chicken snakes. They do love eggs.

 

[frank53061]

An old wives tail is to use Moth Balls they emit an oder that the snakes don't like another old wives tail is to use old urine from a guy it only work if its from a male.
The urine is to be at least 2 weeks old and older the better.
spray it around the base of the house other animals will stay away as well.
and you don't have to spray as much as you would make the area smell bad to you remember animals have a good sense of smell.


Sounds like the Sulfer would also be a good idea.

 

[lizablair]

I spread sulfur dust around my coop in hopes it will work...mothballs are not any help...I have a huge black snake that has been in the chicken yard...coop and on my porch so I went to feed store and sulfur is the main ingredient in snake away type things for hunters...I had three 7 ft long sheds in my work shop and a 3 ft shed yesterday...I pray it is a rat snake..but sulfur is everywhere!

 

[Reyort]

410 takes care of a snake problem. A shovel works well too. Deterring and relocating do not really solve the problem. If you are using some type of chemical, it is a matter of time before they either find a weak spot in your perimeter or worse, they become immune to it over time. If you relocate it, it puts pressure on the local population forcing them to find better hunting grounds which may force predators back onto your property. Plus they could breed adding more to the food chain.

Before i had livestock, I would just capture and release. Things are different now so I dispatch them when I find them.