Snakes. Argh.

[TheOLDNewChick]

I have no idea what I could do. I have yet to have any attacks, but they hang around the shed & coop, and most of them are, go figure, chicken snakes & king snakes. I can't put down any sulfur cause the chickens might get it in their system, and I won't be able to watch them 24/7, so shooting them isn't always an option. Any other ideas? Thanks.

 

[Yonaton]

Catch 'em and relocate 'em, at least a few miles away. They're a beneficial snake (all snakes are actually), and really do better than anything else at getting rid of vermin. A rat snake (often called a chicken snake) and a king snake will bite, but the most damage from it will be small scratches, like getting scratched from a dogs toenails (not nearly as big or as painful though). Other than that, you'll get stinked a little by them (they secrete something from around the picky area that helps them against predators). It washes off pretty easy, so no big deal and nothing 'stinky' like skunk, just noticeable is all.

 

[Chelly]

I have relocated a couple of snakes, I use a cardboard box and a stick. just get the snake in the box, using the stick - close the top and take it off down the road.

(make sure there are no holes in the box! - Yeah I didn't do that and had a head sticking out half way down the driveway)

 

[dakinsmimi]

Chelly - I needed the laugh when I pictured a snake head poking out of a box inside a car. I know what I would have done - left the car! - but I hope you were more calm and didn't have a wreck!

Thanks again for the LAUGH!