What kind of snake is this?

[chicamama]

I watched it trying to eat an entire egg? Any tips on snakes and chickens?

 

[Ducklove334]

looks like a garder, or adult milk snake, I've cought baby milks and they look just like that, only...well, smaller.

neither are venomous, and not really a threat to adult chickens, milk snakes are good to have around, they eat mice like no tomorrow.

 

[chicamama]

do rattlesnakes eat eggs? I knew it was not a rattler because no rattle
(although I did not rule out the rattle fell off

)

 

[ams3651]

looks like a gopher snake, harmless and eat rodents but says often mistaken for a rattler

http://www.californiaherps.com/identification/snakesid/common.html

 

[chicamama]

cool. Thanks for that link AMS

 

[bamachickens]

Rattlers tend to have wide heads, much wider than that one. That being said, mousetraps catch mice too. I prefer mousetraps, snakes usually end up dead fast. It's a reaction as much as anything, poisonous or not, they scare the crap out of me. I also think that most rattlers have larger spots and are in general a thicker snake at that length.

I would be careful around any snake though until you can get a positive ID.

 

[luvmychicknkids]

Quote:
Actually, Garter snakes are black with like 3 (or is it 5?) stripes all the way down the body. Milk snakes are banded around red, black, and white or yellow.

 

[Goat_Walker]

I dont know what kind but it would be dead if it was that close to my nests!

I had to kill two snakes last week ( both five and four foot plus) and they ate three of my ducklings.

That picture gives me the chills.
( no offense ment by the way)

 

[ams3651]

Quote:
although Im in Pa and your in Ca, Im very adept at looking up exactly what kind of snake just scared the begeezes out of me in the yard

 

[amazondoc]

Snakes are very good at keeping the rodent population down. Young birds should be in secure brooders/pens to keep them safe from all sorts of predators aside from snakes, and if the snakes eat a few eggs along the way IMHO it's a small price to pay for their pest-control services.