Snakes in FL or anywhere

[chickengeorgeto]

You'll have more problems out of the yellow rat snake aka chicken snake. I've lost quite a few chicks, pullets and cockerals to this non-venomous snake.

Here's what to do with them:

Now that's what I call a GOOD snake.

I really think that Satin really tempted Eve with a hardboiled egg instead of an apple. That's how much serpents think of hen eggs.

 

[NateinFL]

You'll have more problems out of the yellow rat snake aka chicken snake. I've lost quite a few chicks, pullets and cockerals to this non-venomous snake.

Here's what to do with them:

I have to agree that the yellow rat snakes love preying on birds of any kind. I had a small one kill two baby peachicks from underneath my peahen. It strangled one to death and was wrapped around another when I found it. I had another one make its way into my bird cage and eat a finch and all her babies. Pythons haven't made it to Central FL they are only in the Everglades

 

[tarajane]

You'll have more problems out of the yellow rat snake aka chicken snake. I've lost quite a few chicks, pullets and cockerals to this non-venomous snake.

Here's what to do with them:

 

[Ridgerunner]

You have to realize that there is often a big difference in what can happen and what will happen. And some people are really good at photo shopping. They can make some things look real. I guess it’s possible that could be some type of rattler and not photo shopped, but it is not a pygmy. Good joke though.

A whole lot of different snakes can and will eat eggs and baby chickens, not just yellow rat snakes. Some snakes get big enough to eat an adult chicken, but the size chicken it can and will eat is directly related to the size of the snake. Most of us don’t have any problems with snakes eating a full-sized chicken, but most is not all.

Chickens are pretty good at eating baby snakes, even poisonous snakes. Chickens operate on the principle of “do lunch or be lunch”. If it doesn’t eat them they are likely to eat it. That includes small snakes. If a snake is around in that intermediate size, too big for them to eat but not big enough to eat them, they will often act distressed. Not always but often.

You need to learn to recognize the poisonous snakes in your area. That link above is very good. Other than a coral snake a poisonous snake will have an arrow-shaped head and is more likely to be chunky instead of long and slender. Coral snakes are a different kind of poisonous snake. They do not have the triangular head and their venom is really strong, but their teeth are short. They have trouble penetrating clothing and kind of have to chew to inject venom. The put vipers are much better at striking and injecting venom.

Before you freak out about poisonous snakes, check out how many people die or are even bitten in your state each year. You may be surprised at how few it actually is and which poisonous snakes are actually doing the biting. The last time I checked in Arkansas it was none dead, about two dozen bitten, and only one of those bites was by a rattlesnake. That’s not the kind of numbers I freak out about.

I don’t kill every snake I find, though I don’t allow them in the coop. They eat a lot of rodents and if you are lucky enough to have a resident king snake, it will eat other snakes, including poisonous ones. Poisonous snakes are not allowed to live. Any snake in the coop is in real trouble, but otherwise I don’t worry about it too much. I keep a garden hoe with a broken handle in the coop so I can grab something quick if I need it. The shorter handle allows me to swing it better than a longer handle would. I find an ax works pretty good too if I have tie to get it. With a poisonous snake, I use something with a longer handle.

What can you do to help control snakes? Control your rodents. Food sources will attract them and they really like mice.

Snakes don’t like to be out in the open. Keep the area around your coop cleared and don’t let trash, lumber, or other hiding places provide a good safe home to rodents or snakes.

I have had snakes eat golf balls in the nests if there are no eggs for them to eat and not be able to get back out of the hole they got in. Same thing happened when a snake ate a baby chick in the brooder. It could not get back out. I’ve also had snakes eat real eggs and leave golf balls behind. Nothing is guaranteed. Still that’s a good reason to leave a golf ball in a nest even when the hens learn where to lay. It will stop some but not many.

Some people have reported twisting and tangling some bird netting around where a snake is likely to approach the coop. The snake is supposed to get tangled in that and can’t get out because of its scales getting snagged. I suspect that might occasionally work but it’s probably not fool-proof.

One snake trap I’ve seen on here is where someone uses a fine mesh minnow trap and baits it with an egg. The mesh needs to be pretty fine but I can see it working sometimes. You occasionally find a snake in a minnow trap in the water.

Some people really freak out about the thought of a snake. I don’t like them much myself, especially when I’m surprised by one, poisonous or not. Like any other predator some people have more problems with them than others. I don’t like losing eggs or baby chicks to snakes or anything else and I try to manage those losses.

Don’t let this concern freak you out or control your life. It’s manageable.

 

[tarajane]

I'm really not freaked. Snakes really don't bother me. I would rather face a snake than face a spider

. I am glad to hear that chickens eat small snakes though.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I forgot to mention that most snake bites involve alcohol, young macho men doing things they should not, or both.

Chickens will eat spiders too.

Have a good day.

 

[tarajane]

I forgot to mention that most snake bites involve alcohol, young macho men doing things they should not, or both.

Chickens will eat spiders too.

Have a good day.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

You have to realize that there is often a big difference in what can happen and what will happen...... Chickens are pretty good at eating baby snakes, even poisonous snakes. Chickens operate on the principle of “do lunch or be lunch”. If it doesn’t eat them they are likely to eat it.... You need to learn to recognize the poisonous snakes in your area.... Coral snakes are a different kind of poisonous snake. They do not have the triangular head and their venom is really strong, but their teeth are short.... They have.... to chew to inject venom. The pt vipers are much better at striking and injecting venom....

The snake the boy is holding in the photo is an Eastern Diamond Back Rattle Snake.
I saw a dead one once that was almost as big as the one in the post. They generally only live within 50 miles of salt water and in conjunction with Gopher Tortoises. The original news article said this rattler crawled into the blind with the young man in the photo while he was hog hunting.

I whole heartedly agree with Ridgerunner's view of snakes. That is why I always carry a clean pair of Fruit-of-the-Looms with me while I am out walking around in snake country.

On the dangerous scale there is nothing more dangerous snake wise to me, than a Cotton Mouthed Water Moccasin.

Here is a link from BYC on how to trap snakes.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/515899/best-way-ive-found-yet-to-deal-with-snake-problems
I use to have trouble keeping Cotton Mouths and Common Water Snakes out of my minnow traps.
I did realize that if you left the snake in an under water minnow trap for a few hours that it took all the fight, as well as most of the bite out of them.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I'm really not freaked. Snakes really don't bother me. I would rather face a snake than face a spider

. I am glad to hear that chickens eat small snakes though.

You could sell tickets to watch a flock of chickens eat a snake. It looks like a no rules game of rugby. It's every man for himself or everyone against anyone who possesses the snake. Another good example of the pecking order in action because only the strongest and bravest chicken can preserver long enough to overpower its flock and be allotted enough time to allow it to swallow a whole snake head first.

 

[WthrLady]

Rat snake is a bigger worry, like the yellow. Hunts during the day too.

Pygmy rattlers are a pain to people. Stupid things were all over the panhandle and only the size of a pencil.

At least the giant diamond backs, as seen above, were easy to spot. Water mocks ended up in the flipping swimming pool. then there were the bears everywhere, armadillos, raccoons, possums, scorpions, lizards, eagles, ospreys, hawks,... and the roaming gators.


Chicken paradise!