Snakes and Mice

[Zahboo]

We have killed 4 rat snakes and have caught 2 mice every night in our reusable traps (wish I had more than 2 traps). This is just for the month of May! Much less the ones from April. These things are making me crazy. I can't walk in my coop without seeing a mouse or a snake or a snake eating a mouse. The burrows are everywhere. We got rid of all our scrap wood, got the whole yard cut short up to the wood line, 50-60 foot away. I think a main issue is the soy bean field they left over winter and just plowed down last month. I can't take it. Spread sulphur around today, what else can I do. I have chicks hatching soon, bantam babies, and can't do this. I am making raised cages starting this weekend so that they aren't sitting ducks on the ground, since my silkies don't roost.

 

[halo]

Unfortunately you killed the best mouse traps you could possibly have. Since you killed the snakes, the mouse population will probably explode, which will bring in more snakes.

Sometimes Mother Nature really does know best.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Leave the snakes to eat the mice, & when the mouse supply dwindles, the snakes will move on to find more food. I am letting a 4' speckled King snake live in my feed room to keep the mice at bay. Just make sure your chicks are locked up tight.

 

[Zahboo]

Ewww, these guys are huge though. Well 2 of them were the others were only 3-4 feet. I hate rodents

I know we have plenty more snakes, we've seen then just nothing around to get them, so I guess we can let them slither around, as long as they know what is and isn't food. Well, off to purchase some hardware cloth tomorrow to doublesecure the coop...

 

[TwistedSerpent]

Unlike many predators which are actually pests, snakes play a huge role in farm and agriculture. Not only will they take out adults, but they will clean out nests too. Just think of all the grain and feed we would lose as well as other damages from rodents if snakes werent around. Keep in mind too that some (like kingsnakes) will also make a good meal out of the venomous kind.

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

Just be sure to protect chicks and small chickens. A large rat snake wouldn't mind a chicken dinner if it can kill it and fit it into it's mouth.