Texas

[TheBeadMuse]

Sounds like a snake. You're in Texas, it's probably a Texas Rat Snake. If you can catch the culprit, re locate it about 10-15 miles away to a safe forested area. We've relocated 5 this year. :S And 6 is currently in a holding box until we can get him relocated.

 

[Starfire669]

Sounds like a snake. You're in Texas, it's probably a Texas Rat Snake. If you can catch the culprit, re locate it about 10-15 miles away to a safe forested area. We've relocated 5 this year. :S And 6 is currently in a holding box until we can get him relocated.

My husband and I just finsished plugging that point of entry and any other places that might be weak to a snake or rodent trying to bust in. Hopefully that keeps the coops secure, and the flock safe.

I am a little reluctant to relocate the snake. Snakes are excellent mouse hunters and I know we have mice, my outside cat, Patches, brings me presents sometimes. So long as the snake is hunting mice it's doing me a favor. I don't even mind the occasional pilfered eggs. But I don't want to chance my chicks, ducklings, and goslings, present and future, to snake attack. I guess all I can do is reinforce and secure the coops and see what happens. If it becomes a danger or problem I will locate, catch, and remove the snake.

 

[TheBeadMuse]

My husband and I just finsished plugging that point of entry and any other places that might be weak to a snake or rodent trying to bust in. Hopefully that keeps the coops secure, and the flock safe.

I am a little reluctant to relocate the snake. Snakes are excellent mouse hunters and I know we have mice, my outside cat, Patches, brings me presents sometimes. So long as the snake is hunting mice it's doing me a favor. I don't even mind the occasional pilfered eggs. But I don't want to chance my chicks, ducklings, and goslings, present and future, to snake attack. I guess all I can do is reinforce and secure the coops and see what happens. If it becomes a danger or problem I will locate, catch, and remove the snake.

I LOVE YOUR OUTLOOK... Too many people I know want to just kill them!

I agree, if you can proof the coop from them, do so! We don't have a major mouse problem here, in fact I don't think I've seen any. I don't have the money at the moment to fix and proof the coop the way it *needs* to be done, so I'm relocating the snakes to a safe State Forest a little ways from us. But I love them, and don't want to hurt them.

 

[Starfire669]

I guess I need to ask if having chickens and a snake live together on the same property is even possible. We have always had mice here, and Patches did OK keeping the population under control. But now that we have chickens I have seen more mouse signs. The mice are after the feed, they chewed through a Rubbermaid tote to get to it, it's now in a metal container. But mice and rats also go after eggs and young chicks, so having a snake help control the population would be nice, but not at the risk of losing some of my flock.

Will a snake go for a full grown chicken? Or will it just eat the mice and an egg here and there that are laid outside the coops?

 

[tiedyemommy]

I found this bad boy on Craigslist for $25 & thought to myself, "this would make a perfect 2nd coop!". My husband doubted it would fit in my van, but I had faith...

Here it is, snug as a bug in a rug in my van. It took two people to get it in there, so I'll wait for my husband to get home to help me unload it.

I want to add a run to it, and a door, and then it should be all set. WooHoo!

 

[jbarak]

built this out of some 8 dollar plywood it was my first try at a nesting box im going to put in my coop this weekend

 

[tiedyemommy]

built this out of some 8 dollar plywood it was my first try at a nesting box im going to put in my coop this weekend

Very nice. I'm sure your ladies will love 'em!

 

[TherryChicken]

I found this bad boy on Craigslist for $25 & thought to myself, "this would make a perfect 2nd coop!". My husband doubted it would fit in my van, but I had faith...

Here it is, snug as a bug in a rug in my van. It took two people to get it in there, so I'll wait for my husband to get home to help me unload it.

I want to add a run to it, and a door, and then it should be all set. WooHoo!

very nice and perfect for the girls!

 

[TherryChicken]

built this out of some 8 dollar plywood it was my first try at a nesting box im going to put in my coop this weekend

these are very nice!

 

[Starfire669]

I found this bad boy on Craigslist for $25 & thought to myself, "this would make a perfect 2nd coop!". My husband doubted it would fit in my van, but I had faith...

Here it is, snug as a bug in a rug in my van. It took two people to get it in there, so I'll wait for my husband to get home to help me unload it.

I want to add a run to it, and a door, and then it should be all set. WooHoo!

That's nice, I'm sure the girls will love it!