snake

[DRnNC]

I caught a 5 foot black snake in the act at 1 am this morning. It had already killed 3 of my 4 week old chicks. It had swallowed the head and neck until the they smothered and the acid kicked in then spit it out and started on another. I killed it with a hatchet. It went after the big chicks. BCM,Brahma and Polish. It left the smaller Ameracuanas. Do moth balls really work? Thanks.

 

[Donna R Raybon]

No, they do not work and are toxic. Rat wire, on the other hand does work. I don't like loosing eggs or birds either. But, killing a snake is something I won't do. If i have to, I will catch and take many miles to a barn where someone wants a snake for rodent control. But, usually keeping anything vulnerable to snake attack behind rat wire works.

 

[greenfeathers]

The snake was there because you had a food source. You may find you trade the snake for mice or some other pest.

I have a rat snake in my barn. Seen it several times. Handled it on occasion to move it out of my way. My chickens in that barn are all 19 weeks and not laying yet. If the snake starts after eggs he'll go but for now I know there is enough for it to eat around the barn that he probably doesn't want to tangle with the chickens.

 

[CluckerCottage]

Mothballs are a pesticide and their ingredients can be harmful to humans and animals if ingested or inhaled. I just can't recommend them.
How did a snake enter your coop? Have you identified the port of entry? Every little crevice is inviting to predators.
Hardware cloth is a good solution. Snakes cannot fit through it.
Try a minnow trap, they really do work. Tried and true method.
Sorry for your losses and good luck.

 

[ChicKat]

bird netting also works on snakes -- it is cheaper and easier to put up than HW cloth -- just use zip ties.






The above snake was so tangled in the netting that he cut off his circulation and died overnight. -- the netting had to be cut away.

 

[DRnNC]

I guess the snake came through the 1"x2" welded wire and went up the ramp and into the coop. I have concrete poured around all six of my coop/runs on the outside with the wire in the concrete to keep stuff from digging in. HW cloth would be too expensive. A snake could come through the ripples on the metal roofs.