Snakes Kill Chickens!

[Brenda Lee]

It is indeed true. We lost a fuzzy white Silkie today. She was 2 years old. I was gazing out at the coop, and noticed what I thought was a squirrel posted up in the rolled up tarp that covers one side of the coop during inclement weather.

I put on my glasses and saw immediately that is was a snake. I walked up carefully to the coop, and got several not so great pictures of a 5 foot long snake, that was most likely 3 inches in diameter. The sun was shining at such an angle on the coop, that I could not get a good shot of the snakes markings. It was wending it's way thru the chicken wires, and I thought for a moment that is was stuck.

I ran back into the building to get my binoculars so that I could keep a bead on the snake, without having to get too close. I wanted to see where it was going to go (my suspicion is that it is in the large live oak under which the coop sits.) The snake was already gone when I returned with binoculars,

When my associate, and owner of the building, arrived, I told her about the snake, and upon checking the coop she discovered the silkie strangled to death. I examined the neck of the chicken closely, and could see no puncture marks or blood. The feathers on the neck were plastered down with snake saliva...along the entire length of the neck,. It was very sad to witness.

We are in Dallas, Texas, and have all manner of snake variety here. I believe this snake was a Bull snake.

 

[1FlewOver]

It is indeed true. We lost a fuzzy white Silkie today. She was 2 years old. I was gazing out at the coop, and noticed what I thought was a squirrel posted up in the rolled up tarp that covers one side of the coop during inclement weather.

I put on my glasses and saw immediately that is was a snake. I walked up carefully to the coop, and got several not so great pictures of a 5 foot long snake, that was most likely 3 inches in diameter. The sun was shining at such an angle on the coop, that I could not get a good shot of the snakes markings. It was wending it's way thru the chicken wires, and I thought for a moment that is was stuck.

I ran back into the building to get my binoculars so that I could keep a bead on the snake, without having to get too close. I wanted to see where it was going to go (my suspicion is that it is in the large live oak under which the coop sits.) The snake was already gone when I returned with binoculars,

When my associate, and owner of the building, arrived, I told her about the snake, and upon checking the coop she discovered the silkie strangled to death. I examined the neck of the chicken closely, and could see no puncture marks or blood. The feathers on the neck were plastered down with snake saliva...along the entire length of the neck,. It was very sad to witness.

We are in Dallas, Texas, and have all manner of snake variety here. I believe this snake was a Bull snake.

More likely a Texas Rat Snake....I have two five footers (approximately) ....that I try to keep out of trouble....One was completely wild and full grown a month ago....the other I raised from a baby...

I love 'em...but snakes and chickens don't mix....so either make your area snakeproof...(hard to do...but more effective than killing off the snakes as they come....or after the fact) ....or diligently hunt that sucker down....you have to put yourself in the snakes place....don't you go back to a good restaurant?

 

[easterpenguin08]

O my gosh I feel so sorry for all you losses! I live in a desert with a ton of snakes!! EEK! I want to get chickens but then I just thought of snakes. I heard people using moth balls and snake reppelents. They had possitive results. I was also thinking of letting my cat hang around where my chicks are going to be because my cat eats snakes. BUT she might eating my chickens. UG

The struggle is real!!

 

[GuamChicken]

I have a ton of snakes, and many deaths. The only way to do it is to go through the trouble to make the coop completely snake proof. 1/2 inch hardware cloth everywhere. Fortunately my snakes are nocturnal so I can let them free range during the day, but then they get attacked by other chickens.

 

[andrea2chicken]

I too have the biggest fear of snakes. I knew when I got these chick's there maybe a possibility of having to fight them even more so then when I go fishing. Good thing I am a great shot with my bb gun. Yeah that's the only gun I carry fishing and stays loaded in my house. But I tried the old wives tail about burning a snake that it will scare the rest off. I did it while camping our area went from thick snake population to none for the rest of the week we were there. Saddle we have rattles cotton mouths bull and a whole assortment of them here my hubby assures me my coop with be snake proof. So one said guineas will kill snakes? So thought I might get some if that is true

 

[rehric00]

Sorry to hear about your hen.

On the contrary, I had a New Hampshire Red that would eat snakes... She would find small ones, peck them till they stopped moving and swallowed them down like spaghetti- no joke! It was the craziest thing! Another time, I saw all my girls (14 or 15 hens at the time) gathered all around one spot, making a bunch of noise, they we ganging up on a big fat rat snake (probably 5 foot long, and maybe 2 inches in diameter at its fattest part)... my chickens were trying to kill it! They actually ran it off... I do not like snakes at all, so I hope to never see them around.. yuck! But I am all for chickens who eat snakes!

 

[EmilyP]

I know this is a chicken forum but I've had a snake kill two of my ducks in the past two weeks. They are obviously way too big for him to get down but it hasn't stopped him. Anyone know of any other natural snake repellents? This is happening while I'm at work so there's been no intervening possible

 

[chick-little]

2 days ago I went out to check on my7 hens . I usually go at least 3 times a day. This was mid-afternoon & my husband would not be home from wk for another 2 hours. As I approached the hen house on a side ledge there lay a
huge snake with an egg in his mouth. I ran inside got my phone took picture & sent to my husband at work asking what should I do. He said get a shovel & kill it (he knew better I am scared to death of even a grass snake) . Lucky
the snake was still there when he got home, he killed with a hoe, It was a chicken snake. The next day I ran back forth all day checking on them, no snake . Today I went out mid day & on same ledge there was another snake, no egg
in mouth but sure he was waiting. I knew it would be gone by time hubby got home so I texted my neighbor, she came over try to kill it & got through the fence. Is there anything I can put out to keep the snakes away ??
I heard spray diesel gas on outside of chicken pen & Ive been told to put out moth balls . Anyone know of a sure thing to do .

 

[EmilyP]

2 days ago I went out to check on my7 hens .  I usually go at least 3 times a day.  This was mid-afternoon & my husband would not be home from wk for another 2 hours. As I approached the hen house  on a side ledge there lay a
huge snake with an egg in his mouth.   I ran inside got my phone took picture & sent to my husband at work asking what should I do.   He said get a shovel & kill it (he knew better I am scared to death of even a grass snake) .  Lucky
the snake was still there when he got home, he killed with a hoe, It was a chicken snake.  The next day I ran back forth all day checking on them, no snake .    Today I went out mid day & on same ledge there was another snake, no egg
in mouth but sure he was waiting.  I knew it would be gone by time hubby got home so I texted my neighbor, she came over try to kill it & got through the fence.     Is there anything I can put out to keep the snakes away ?? 
I heard spray diesel gas on outside of chicken pen  &  Ive been told to put out moth balls .     Anyone know of a sure thing to do .  

I don't know about a sure thing but I put powdered sulfer around my duck pen. I've never seen the snake that has been getting my ducks and it has been one a week so I don't really know if it is keeping it away or not. Make sure your fencing is small enough that the snakes can't get in anywhere and block any holes. I've read they can't get through the 1/2" hardware cloth.

 

[333113]

Sorry to disagree with some of the previous posts, but a chicken that has been squeezed to death by a snake seems exactly like its neck is broken. The head flops just like that. According to my vet, the neck vertebrae may indeed be separated, which, basically, is a broken neck. I just rehomed two rat snakes in the past few days after losing a duckling, a Delaware pullet, and a Houdan rooster, all with the "broken neck" symptom. My prize Porcelain d'Uccle hen is recovering (I hope) from a bite earlier today when I found the second rat snake to rehome. I pulled this rat snake out of the rafters in my barn. Rat snakes have venom, but it is just for paralyzing small prey. It has little no effect on humans, that I have heard.

I use welded one-by-one inch wire for my pens, which is effective against raccoons but not against snakes. I agree that hardware cloth will block snakes, but raccoons can tear it up, and it is not a long-lasting wire. You would want to back it with a stronger fencing material.