Snakes??

[ausash]

Last night my broody and her babies would not go into their coop and mama was just throwing a fit and walking the fence line and wanting out and earlier my daughter said she was in the coop just flapping her wings and throwing a fit. Well I looked in the coop and saw nothing so I wrangled them into the coop and they were settled down and were fine. I did notice at the time that mama had black and blue spots all over her face, comb and wattles that had previously not been there, kind of like something had pecked at her and drew blood in many places. Well this morning I let everyone out and I discovered one dead chick (three weeks old) laying on the floor and its head and neck were all wet and slimy looking. The only place that anything small can get into the coop is the roof and one spot a couple of feet off the ground it is regular chicken wire, the door and floor are made from very small hardware mesh as this is my broody pen. Could this have been a snake or what? Also could whatever it was have attacked my mama earlier and bit her many times in the face and that was why her face was looking like that? All I know is I wish I would have listened to their instincts and put them somewhere else last night and I feel really bad this morning.

Thanks.

 

[AccidentalFarm]

Quote:
This is what an animal looks like when the snake begins to eat it, but for whatever reason does not, and spits it back out. My assumption is that momma probably ran the snake off during its attempted meal, as this is when a snake is completely vulnerable.

 

[ChickenGeorge]

I found a chick in this exact condition a couple of weeks ago. I think once the snake caught mine, tried to eat it, but it was too big to swallow. During this time I killed 3 snakes.

 

[AccidentalFarm]

Quote:
You are probably right. They can swallow things much larger than the diameter of their head, but often 'overestimate' and abort the meal. The 'meal' will look pretty slimy and nasty.

 

[SpottedCrow]

Completely correct and gross.
I've seen the regurg...blech...
Snakes CAN bite too. I can attest to that also...hurts like heck and they can draw blood.

 

[prettychicks]

Last night my broody and her babies would not go into their coop and mama was just throwing a fit and walking the fence line and wanting out and earlier my daughter said she was in the coop just flapping her wings and throwing a fit. Well I looked in the coop and saw nothing so I wrangled them into the coop and they were settled down and were fine. I did notice at the time that mama had black and blue spots all over her face, comb and wattles that had previously not been there, kind of like something had pecked at her and drew blood in many places. Well this morning I let everyone out and I discovered one dead chick (three weeks old) laying on the floor and its head and neck were all wet and slimy looking. The only place that anything small can get into the coop is the roof and one spot a couple of feet off the ground it is regular chicken wire, the door and floor are made from very small hardware mesh as this is my broody pen. Could this have been a snake or what? Also could whatever it was have attacked my mama earlier and bit her many times in the face and that was why her face was looking like that? All I know is I wish I would have listened to their instincts and put them somewhere else last night and I feel really bad this morning.

Thanks.

I strongly believe in using the hardware cloth for my entire pen due to snakes getting through anything bigger than that. Sorry to hear you lost a baby. When or if you can, cover that chicken wire with the hardware cloth to make your pen a little more snake proof.

 

[bj taylor]

that's one of my fears is a snake in the coop. my coop is enveloped w/ hardware cloth. there is no place they can access, except the pop door during the day.

 

[prettychicks]

that's one of my fears is a snake in the coop. my coop is enveloped w/ hardware cloth. there is no place they can access, except the pop door during the day.

I check my pen wall to wall, floor to ceiling before herding them back in everyday. I hate snakes! I lost too many eggs and baby chicks when I started out years ago and went only to the hardware cloth myself. It is worth my piece of mind and theirs. I know it can be costly but I bought one roll at a time.

 

[bj taylor]

i wonder if there isn't something to put on the threshold of the pop door to prevent snakes from entering but wouldn't interfere w/chickens entering? my coop is a little hard to inspect since i have the deep litter. they could hide in that & i wouldn't see them

 

[prettychicks]

I am not sure about that. Gosh, could you imagine a snake hiding in there. UGH! Gives me the creeps!