snakes

[zazouse]

Wish I could trade you 20 black and/or gray rat snakes for 10 of your speckled kings. Now that's a good deal! lol Those speckled kings are said to be the best at eating other snakes, including venomous ones.

I have lots of them here and they will eat chicken eggs

i don't dispatch snakes, i like them but if they are found in an area my birds frequent then my dogs will smell them and hunt them down.
None of my LGD mess with the snakes just the Pit bulls and the Rottweiler

 

[Triple Willow]

I have lots of them here and they will eat chicken eggs   i don't dispatch snakes, i like them but if they are found in an area my birds frequent then my dogs will smell them and hunt them down.
 None of my LGD mess with the snakes just the Pit bulls and the Rottweiler 

One of my dogs will kill them, the other will walk all over them. Ahh I hate the thought of grabbing a snake in a nest. You are liable to hear me holler if that ever happens! LOL

Speaking of snakes, this morning I was out picking up fishing worms (lots of rain here) and I found this little guy...

 

[boobooblueeyes]

We have always had snakes around and I do anything I can to make sure they stay out of my coop and pens. I have lost my share of young chickens and eggs to snakes and last year one got in and took my baby lion head rabbits and spooked the parents so bad they got out and ran off. I did put some of the bird netting up around my pen in the fall for the purpose of stopping the snakes. We started seeing snakes about a month ago and have killed 3 chicken/rat snakes we found in coops, one was crushing goose eggs in prep to swallow them. Yesterday I was out feeding in the rain and about jumped out of my boots when I saw a snake and then quickly realized it was dead. The 2 1/2 footer was caught in the net and had already died and been eaten on by the chickens in the yard, later I realized there was another near by, 3 foot or more, that had been caught a little longer and was not much more than skin. I am an Ag teacher and I know that these animals have their place but I also depend on my chickens for supplemental income and cannot afford to lose as many as I would if I didn't get rid of the snakes. Anyway, the netting does work to catch them and then it is up to you if you want to catch and relocate or dispatch them some other way (my DH and a .22 is my preference). Good Luck with the quail, the snakes got after mine last year and now I have Bobwhites so hoping to keep them out.

 

[3horses]

I am overrun with Bull snakes,I am in Texas these guys are over ten feet long. Yes, I shoot them. What can I do to make them go away. I have built a a big chicken house, I am adding more wire so the snakes can't get in the coop. Please tell me what really works. Also I am in the woods so to speak. thanks

 

[bdfive]

Sounds pretty scary at your property 3horses. Where in Texas are you? We're in the Hill Country about 30 miles north of San Antonio. I bought a minnow trap and will purchase more if this works. Haven't tried it yet but it's said they catch snakes easily. Put egg in it, snake crawls in and can't get out. Do you have any pictures to post? Sounds like you need a dog or some kind of animal that will kill or keep the snakes frightened away.

 

[zazouse]

You got that many snakes then train a dog to kill them, i got a couple dogs that will take a snake out in a heartbeat if they are found near the birds are their eggs, last two killed were over 6 foot long .

This one was 6 foot 7 inches they got a 3 footer the next day, found several dead around the barn in the last few weeks, they are bad again this year.

Ones from last year

 

[Triple Willow]

I am overrun  with Bull snakes,I am in Texas these guys are over ten feet long. Yes, I shoot them. What can I do to make them go away. I have built a a big chicken house, I am adding more wire so the snakes can't get in the coop. Please tell me what really works. Also I am in the woods so to speak. thanks:cd

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/515899/best-way-ive-found-yet-to-deal-with-snake-problems

 

[Spongegirl]

Snakes ARE bad this year. I caught and killed 2 today! Big ones, at least 6 feet long. This is the 5th we have seen this year so far...usually I might see one. I read all this thread and Im going to read the other snake threads. Tomorrow I'm going to go get some of that netting to stuff all over. I don't like mice and the thought of them crapping all over my coop makes me ill but I cant handle snakes either, plus an extreme adrenaline rush will cause me to have a seizure and that is what seeing and trying to catch snakes does to me. I have even considered spraying brush killer around some areas heavily grown over so they cant hide in the growth behind the coop that I don't mow. And I am a "mother earth don't use sprays they are killing our bees and us" kinda gal. Time for some serious yard clean up. OMG! Freakin snakes!

 

[3horses]

I live near Comanche TX, I have ten dogs (dachshund mixes) they let me know the snakes are around. Will sulfur help around the coop. I am going to try the minnow trap and see if that works. Sorry no pics.

 

[Triple Willow]

I live near Comanche TX, I have ten dogs (dachshund mixes) they let me know the snakes are around. Will sulfur help around the coop. I am going to try the minnow trap and see if that works. Sorry no pics.

I have heard sulfur and caustic lime but I wouldn't put it where your birds could possibly eat it. It might kill them.