Weird Happening

[RoosterDon]

So I killed the 4 and I thought the last snake on Sunday. I don't see anywhere where they are hiding or nesting on the second floor of my coop. Monday my 18 hens that average 8-14 eggs a day only laid 5. Okay, maybe an off day. This morning I put each of the 5 eggs in a separate nesting box, where the snakes had been hiding up till Sunday. I am pretty sure the snakes laid under the nesting box till the hen rustled around, laid her egg, then left the nest, then would slither out and eat the egg. The snake on Sunday had at least 4 eggs in him.

So this morning I left the five eggs and this evening each egg had been removed from each nesting box, meaning it had to come over the inch or two lip from the inside to get outside of the box.

I could see maybe one hen booting one egg out of a nesting box, but ALL FIVE? My hens not only have no problem laying multiple eggs in one nest, they have no problem laying in a nest together at the same time to lay eggs.

Today, only 4 eggs. So, either snakes are slithering a long way to get into my coop (the free range area around the coop has long ago been turned into dirt, maybe 20-30 feet all around it to the fence), or I am getting daily visitors snatching eggs.

I guess I will have to go the video route, but wow, fast forwarding through 6-8 hours of video seems crazy. And a motion censored camera would be going off all day with the hens coming and going all day like they do.

Any suggestions?????????????????????????

 

[cavemanrich]

Any way you can, the camera is your best detective. Then you may see where he is entering and exiting. Securing against entering is best option.
WISHING YOU BEST

 

[loftkeeper]

put golf balls in nest if they disappear you have snakes

 

[sebloc]

Any way you can, the camera is your best detective. Then you may see where he is entering and exiting. Securing against entering is best option.
WISHING YOU BEST

Have any cheap ideas for a camera? I've been needing one single wireless camera that's under 60 bucks and I can't find a thing.

So I killed the 4 and I thought the last snake on Sunday. I don't see anywhere where they are hiding or nesting on the second floor of my coop. Monday my 18 hens that average 8-14 eggs a day only laid 5. Okay, maybe an off day. This morning I put each of the 5 eggs in a separate nesting box, where the snakes had been hiding up till Sunday. I am pretty sure the snakes laid under the nesting box till the hen rustled around, laid her egg, then left the nest, then would slither out and eat the egg. The snake on Sunday had at least 4 eggs in him.

So this morning I left the five eggs and this evening each egg had been removed from each nesting box, meaning it had to come over the inch or two lip from the inside to get outside of the box.

I could see maybe one hen booting one egg out of a nesting box, but ALL FIVE? My hens not only have no problem laying multiple eggs in one nest, they have no problem laying in a nest together at the same time to lay eggs.

Today, only 4 eggs. So, either snakes are slithering a long way to get into my coop (the free range area around the coop has long ago been turned into dirt, maybe 20-30 feet all around it to the fence), or I am getting daily visitors snatching eggs.

I guess I will have to go the video route, but wow, fast forwarding through 6-8 hours of video seems crazy. And a motion censored camera would be going off all day with the hens coming and going all day like they do.

Any suggestions?????????????????????????

Try to find out the type of snake. Maybe clean out the nesting boxes? Check for snake skin. Secure the coop and egg boxes better. Your best bet would be to get a camera and find where the snakes are coming in. Killing the snakes won't do much because they have other members that will keep coming back.

Maybe these will help:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/48889/is-there-a-way-to-keep-snakes-out-of-the-coop

http://animals.mom.me/keep-snakes-out-chicken-coop-8305.html

Well. All you can do:
-Find out where they're getting in
-Moth balls may help?
-Did something lure them to the coop? Rodents like mice or rats?

I personally have never had any problems with snakes living this far up in the north. Good luck.

 

[Trish1974]

This is the manufacturer's site...but you can find them $20-$25 cheaper on Amazon.

https://www.arlo.com/en-us/products/kit/VMS3130.aspx

 

[sebloc]

I guess I have some decisions to make. Thanks.

 

[aart]

Any suggestions?????????????????????????

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1126905/snake-trap-works

 

[animalgrl]

put golf balls in nest if they disappear you have snakes

I'm sure this works, but as the owner of a pet snake, it pains me to think of the uncomfortable death this must cause the snake as I'm guessing it can't digest or pass the golf ball and slowly starves to death. I mean, I know you have to get rid of pests, but if I was a snake, I think a shovel to the head would be preferable to starving to death with a golf ball clogging up the works. I hate to think of anything suffering. Even a rat or a snake.

 

[sebloc]

Cut off it's head and hang it to the wall for the chickens to enjoy as a snack, that ought to teach them. (jk)

Can you set up a temporary egg box for the chickens to lay in, make it really secure, so no snakes can get in except through the actual door the chickens walk through? Then block the actual egg boxes from their view and put some other eggs in their, try to trap the snakes, and kill them? Sounds like hard work but that's what I would do. 1 way in no way out kind of way.

 

[cavemanrich]

I'm 100% with aart. and the link he provided. Trapping them is best option. If you don't know what to do afterwards, call your local county animal control for instructions.