They seem to be getting bigger! Snakes!!

[mudhen]

I think they are those king snakes that are great for mice control. Unfortunately, they don't seem to know how to stick to mice and leave eggs and peeps out of their diet.

BLETCH!

Why can't they just go be beautiful somewhere else?
I hate to kill anything, relocating is good, but I just can't see myself actually trying to catch one. I said it before, and I'll say it again:

 

[theOEGBman]

What people need to understand is that snake is just doing what comes natural. Its YOUR responsibility to make your coop predator proof. He cant help it if you didnt do a good enough job! YES, I LOVE snakes, I think they are one of the most amazing animals in the world. You try living with no legs and arms, squirm around on your belly and see if you dont go for the easiest place you can find to get food. Killing them doesnt help at all, its killing animals that leads them to extinction. Yeah, you might want all snakes to go extinct, but then you are stuck with millions of mice and rats. Everything has a special place in this ecosystem. Sorry to rant, but I hate that people are so quick to judge an animal because of superstitions and how it looks, it just wants to survive. There is NO reason to kill the snake when you can relocate it, you just say I didnt want to but I had to. You didnt HAVE to do it, its easy to scoop up a snake with a stick or a rake and plop it in a bucket for a drive far away. Then set it free. Simple.

 

[wendy]

hi, theOEGBman,
i understand where you are coming from but how do you get over the fear of snakes. that is my problem, my ex husband put one around my neck once when he walked up behind me. that did not help me not liking them. i know it is not the snakes fault that i had a jerk ex, lol.

 

[theOEGBman]

You dont have to get over the fear of them, you just need to respect them for what they do for you and for the ecosystem. Without snakes, you would have a lot more rodents. Without King Snakes, there would be many more Rattlers. I dont agree with killing any snakes, venomous or not. People kill them for being there, but WE are the ones who moved into their homes. They cant just pack up and leave because we took over. They can only survive in certain areas. Im not telling you to go up there and catch it, although I do, Im just saying there's no point to chop it into pieces. You can find a long handled rake or shovel and scoop it up. Put it in a bucket and take it far away, It will continue to help the ecosystem by eating varmits, and it wont bug you or your flock. There are people out there that dont like what other people do, but we dont go around chopping their heads off with shovels. We just need to understand that everything has a place on this Earth. I understand that you want to protect your flock, but two wrongs dont make a right. By killing that snake, you make yourself the bad person. You hate them for killing your flock, but you do the same exact thing by killing them. Snakes arent evil creatures, they are the same as dogs or cats, or CHICKENS, they just look different. They live to survive, and we just make it easier by feeding them with our flocks. Predator Proofing your coop helps, but there's always that chance that it wont work. That's your fault, not the snakes. Im not asking you to not fear them, because its natural for people to fear things that they dont understand or are not used to. I was raised with chickens, and my grandma always killed snakes. I've always had an odd facination for them, and relocate any I can find. I guess I just have a passion for the more unusually critters. I seriously love every animal on this Earth, and believe that they are all equal and deserve equal rights. Your chickens eat bugs, so why dont you kill the chickens? They are just doing what comes natural. Its exactly the same, people just think chickens are cuter. Also, even if you do let them live, please dont hold them by their heads of the base of their head, its not comfortable or good for them. It can stretch out their back bones and harm them pretty bad. Im just here in hopes that I can help that one snake from being cut into pieces because that's why God put me on this Earth. Im here to help wildlife that people dont appreciate.

Also, it really crushes my heart to see someone post that they LOVE dead snake pics. That's like me saying I LOVE dead people pics. Im not a huge fan of most people, but If I was to say that, I would be banned. Its the same thing. And its not right.

 

[Jezebelle]

the only way to get over a fear of snakes..go to a snake farm, or to someones house that owns a snake. Pick up a baby snake first. ball pythons are very sweet snakes, and great for first time snake holders. I use to have one, she was ssoo spoiled. Snakes wont bite unless you threaten them or make a sudden move around them. It feels like a bee sting. Mine only bit me twice, and I had her for about 2 years. The more you hold them, the more comfortable you will be around them, its like dealing with cats and dogs. But dont handle a random snake with out some type of heavy duty workers gloves. And careful, they might pee on you if you pick them up. If you grab them by the tail, very very rarely will they bite you, unless they get a leg. Snakes can be very gentle and can be excellent pets. Just be sure you know what your messing with before you pick it up.

 

[feathersnmore]

theOEGBman i couldn't have said it better!

 

[Southern28Chick]

I had a pretty bad snake problem and I lost my beloved baby roo to one. Here's what I do:

1. Snake-a-way. Home depot or feed stores should have it. Put a thick line around your run/chicken yard. It's pretty pricey but worth it to me. I think I pay $15.00 for one small thing of it and I have to use 4 of them to put around my yard.
2. Moth balls. Sprinkle them all along the same area as the snake-a-way. I think the snake-a-way has the same ingredient as moth balls but you can never be to careful.
3. CATS!!! I have 4 male cats that I keep outside during the day. The 2 snakes if found (2 days in a row) came to my chicken yard when the cats were inside due to rain. My cats are MEAN to snakes. I've been out in the yard and saw my "daddy" cat walking around with a snake in his mouth.
4. When I see a snake I scream for DH and he comes and catches it to rehome it far away (I mean MILES away).

I hope you can get rid of them. I know they're BAD here down south!!!

 

[wendy]

hi to theOEGBman, i am not the one who put i like dead pics of snakes. i only put i like there byc name. im just sayin

 

[dixierose992]

Yes I am scared to death of snakes. I didn't not want to kill the snake, but I walk around to were the pin is and see it going after my one of my chickens and my newphew was also going after the same chick. I got protective. So I will repeat I didn't want to kill it, but I did. The kinda good news is that my dh did take the other one off. I agree that we should not kill them. I am not trying to make excuses but with my chickens, ducks, turkeys, and my brothers kids around, I didn't want to take any chances. I am sorry if it makes people mad that I did. I just did what I thought I had to.

 

[thechickenwhisperer]

I would prefer a cat over a snake
any day for rodent control. And It is just about impossible to snake proof anything. If you can see a crack of light, a snake can get in. And I will not let anyone even suggest to me that I should relocate them. It is my property, and my investment and the law says I have a right to protect my property from harm.

This is just my stance on this. I am not shooting anyone else down if they choose to relocate-to each his own. No one is compaining about those who decide to relocate a snake. But it seems as if anyone with a differing opinion is talked to as if they are uneducated or about to wipe the whole entire snake population out and destroy the ecosystem.

You relocate-I'll remove them in my chosen manner. No offense intended-really

PS Anyone remember The Grizzly Man-Timothy Treadwell?

The grizzly bears he loved so much and did not see as harmful predators bit him in the butt-literally (that's written with toungue-in-cheek folks

-REALLY