Watch for infection though. Most chicken snakes (rat snakes) don't go after chickens, but they DO go after eggs and will defend themselves. I don't kill the rat snakes unless they're over 6 feet, cause then they can be a problem for my big hens. Rat snakes kill rattlesnakes and copperheads, as well as mice and rats, so they're good to have around really. Just not in the coop.
