Snake

[tsperry88]

I lost a few young hens to a snake and posted previously. After losing the hens I put an SD card in my Wyze cam. Today I noticed I was missing a lot of eggs, and the SD card paid off. See video. I have to come up with a snake defense plan.

Ignore the junk in the nest boxes. They aren't used and it keeps the young ones out at night.

 

[cherrynberry]

Wow! The rooster fled himself...interesting video, thanks for posting.

 

[cherrynberry]

Oh and whats your plan? Good luck!

 

[tsperry88]

I have 3 ideas. Probably the electric fence. I have a spare, high powered fence charger. I don't think it would kill the snake, but it would deter it I am sure.

Electric fence circuit on the ramp far enough apart that only something as long as a snake could touch hot and ground.

live snake trap/cage

Feed it ceramic eggs. I assume that would kill it, but not very nicely.

 

[tsperry88]

Wow! The rooster fled himself...interesting video, thanks for posting.

The rooster is a wuss. He doesn't attack anything or anyone.

 

[cherrynberry]

I have 3 ideas. Probably the electric fence. I have a spare, high powered fence charger. I don't think it would kill the snake, but it would deter it I am sure.

Electric fence circuit on the ramp far enough apart that only something as long as a snake could touch hot and ground.

live snake trap/cage

Feed it ceramic eggs. I assume that would kill it, but not very nicely.

Could the snake climb to the top row of nesting boxes?

 

[RosemaryDuck]

I lost a few young hens to a snake and posted previously. After losing the hens I put an SD card in my Wyze cam. Today I noticed I was missing a lot of eggs, and the SD card paid off. See video. I have to come up with a snake defense plan.

Ignore the junk in the nest boxes. They aren't used and it keeps the young ones out at night.

The snake in the video is a completely harmless Black rat snake. They will not (and cannot) kill your chickens. They will eat the occasional egg and possibly a day old chick but they are incapable of killing and eating a full grown chicken.

Unless you have Burmese pythons where you live, your chickens are not in any danger. It's likely a secondary predator killing your hens.

 

[neo71665]

Get ya a minnow trap and put some eggs in it. Clean out your nest boxes more often.

https://www.amazon.com/Eagle-Claw-Minnow-Trap-2-Inch/dp/B003ZZCLJU

Be warned they will go a long time between meals. Ya likely not to see it for awhile.

 

[McChooky]

Wow! The rooster fled himself...interesting video, thanks for posting.

A few of the hens were watching his reaction to see if they should flee . Roosters instinctively know to flee from danger and warn their flock but hens are curious.

 

[tsperry88]

The snake in the video is a completely harmless Black rat snake. They will not (and cannot) kill your chickens. They will eat the occasional egg and possibly a day old chick but they are incapable of killing and eating a full grown chicken.

Unless you have Burmese pythons where you live, your chickens are not in any danger. It's likely a secondary predator killing your hens.

Fairly sure it was a snake.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/odd-deaths-graphic-photo.1482096/#post-24699851