Snake question

[Katy]

I just went out to the coop to make my afternoon egg run. There in the corner where one of my hens insists on laying were two 3+ foot long either bull snakes or black rat snakes. I thought they were bull snakes at first, but the one is awfully dark. I think cleaning the coop earlier may have disturbed them. I caught one of them, but my arm isn't long enought to reach the other. If they're only there for the mice, I'll let them be, but if they eat eggs they'll get a trip out into the field down by the creek. Anyone know if they'll eat eggs?

 

[mistylady]

Black snakes will eat eggs! Grandma in Arkansas told me about them years ago! Of course she kept me out of her garden with the "hop snake" story. The snake tht grabs its tail and rolls in a hoop shape to get you! It kept me out of her garden! But she was right about rat snakes!

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/UW251

 

[gumpsgirl]

I would remove them Katy. I know the black snake will eat your eggs and I believe the bull will to. Someone here told me if you hit a snake on its back close to the head with a shovel it will paralyze the snake long enough to relocate it. Whether this is completely true or not, I don't know! I haven't had the chance to try it, thank heavens! Good luck with the eviction process! Let us know how it goes.

 

[dacjohns]

They will eat eggs. They will eat little chicks. They will try to eat big chicks.

 

[Wildsky]

Yeah they're probably there for eggs, don't grab them till you can properly ID them.

 

[Katy]

I caught the one already...pinned his head down with a stick and then picked him up.....the bigger one got away...for now. I don't mind snakes.....they actually do a lot of good, but if they're gonna eat my eggs they're going down to the creek!!

 

[dacjohns]

Move them a long ways away, 1/2 mile or more. I had a snake come back. I know it was the same one because it had a distinguishing mark.

 

[Wildsky]

I had a bull snake come back - I just moved him to the other end of our property last year....

But so far I've only seen him in the front yard, and we just caught a mouse on our patio - so the snake is welcome to stay so long as he stays away from the back yard...

 

[Katy]

I went back out with the flashlight to look for him back behind some stuff and just as I was going in the door I saw him head down a hole alongside the wall so he's now under the chicken house floor. I'd bet they've been living in there awhile....I just hadn't seen them!! I wonder if mothballs would make them feel unwelcome.

 

[dogzrule5]

I just went to this link and learned that what I have are black Rat Snakes. Three off them were huge - one of them was at least 6' long - the one I wrote about in a post last week.

If I can reduce my mouse problem, I think the snakes won't be as big a problem as they are now.

I'm still grossed out by all my encounters over the weekend.