Snake!!!

[RSmith]

I wouldn't lose any sleep about toasting a snake, our cat does just fine in the rodent department so that job is already filled, and we don't need any stinking snakes slithering around the chicken coop, no matter whet they are up to.


Last snake I had to deal with was a BIG Copperhead, a big fat one, I just used my fishing pole, tied a big loop in the end of the line, finagled the loop around it's neck and reeled it up snug up against the tip of the pole, then dragged it out to where I safely blasted it to hell without causing unwanted collateral damage, nor was there a bloody mess to clean up.

Either that, or use a pellet gun next time, it will kill the snake with minimal blood splatter and not damage the coop by blowing a hole in it.

I hope this helps for future reference, it's always best to THINK before shooting anything, if you have the time to do so.

 

[Jaybo]

I recently had to do away with a 5' rat snake that had moved into the coop. Now, I can't prove that he ate the eggs my hen had been sitting on, but the eggs were gone and he (I learned afterwards) had eaten one of the hollow plastic practice golf balls that we used to make the hens think there were eggs in the nest. I'm of the opinion that he would not have been able to pass that golf ball, so he got a quick death instead of a lingering one. I'd prefer not to have had to kill him, but I can't imagine he would have given up on a source of easy egg dinners...