Will black snakes harm my chickens and chicks?

[Triple Willow]

See now if I had a rattler or cottonmouth in the coop or around the coop I would kill it for protection of the flock but if they are in a whole different part in the yard why should I bother them if they are not bothering me??or my chickens live an let live is the saying that goes for snakes if they keep their distance

Snakes move around a lot! It might be way out in the backyard in the morning and by afternoon be sitting by your door in the garage. I have a snake den at the front part of my house/yard. From there they go all over the yard, in the trees, in the garage (when they could get in there), etc. The chance of a venomous snake left in the yard biting somebody or a pet is too high. Yes I have had one bite a dog while it was in its pen in the backyard. The dog almost died. I don't see me being a responsible person and allowing a venomous snake to be ANYWHERE around the house/yard.

 

[imogene08]

Well I don't have a problem with snakes around here only black racers and gartars

 

[heybarb]

We had black snakes eat 2 of our baby chicks this spring, then they found our nest boxes and started eating the eggs - every 2 or 3 days - no eggs! We trapped 3 black snakes and took them down the road a few miles and set them free again. Now, we don't have trouble with snakes, but have a mouse problem...I wish I could have the snakes back!! :-/

 

[pasolady]

This is exactly what happened to me today. I have a silkie hen with two chicks and when I got home from work I heard the chicks peeping very loudly so I knew something was wrong. When I looked in coop a rat snake was wrapped all around her! I ran to the house and got my husband's attention and he brought his gun and shot the snake. The chicks are fine and so is the hen but only because I got there in time. I never expected that. I hate snakes and if they want to live they better stay out of my yard and especially the chicken coops.

 

[roostertwo]

To answer the question of snakes in the hen house.....Had two Large Black snakes in the hen house, one had altready eaten an egg, the other was just "resting", well chased them both away but a few days later they came back,But hated to do it, but we raise the eggs for our family not to feed the snakes, so went and got my 45 colt pistol and shot both of them, the largest was over six feet long the other was almost five feet, . You gotta do what you gotta do!!!

 

[Newbeloveschics]

I was wondering if my adolescent / adult chickens would be harmed if they found a "baby" snake and was carrying it around the yard as they free range.... it looked to be around 6 inches in length. All of the flock was chasing the one who had it and would gang up on the one who had it. Eventually another chicken got it and ran about like it was a prize or something. I approached to see what kind of snake it was and couldn't tell cause she ate the thing before I was able to see up close. From a distance, it was either black or gray in color. I don't know if it was poisonous or not. Should I be concerned if the snake might have bitten any of the chickens when it was alive and trying to get out of the beak of my chicken?

Someone who has chickens once told me that they do eat baby snakes...

 

[roostertwo]

don't know if black snakes will harm chickens, but I do know they love to eat their eggs!!, also rattle snakes will sometimes stay in the coop to eat mice, rats, but can not harm chickens as the chickens legs have no "meat" to bite, as far as biting a chicken, they would have to bite around the head area, the body area is to thick with feathers for the snake to get a grip on, We had problems with black snakes in our hen house, and no matter how many times you catch them and move them away, they still come back, I hated to do it but I ended up shooting two very large black snakes, a six footer and a five footer, also shot and killed a rattle snake that was near the chicken coop, that is two I have destroyed this year and summer is just starting. they say if you put moth balls around your coop this will keep snakes away, but you have to remeber if you have free range chickens they will eat the moth balls. Good Luck!!

 

[troy4]

No,they will eat chicks,but if you have a mom she can kill the snake they don't mess with chickens only chicks.

 

[Steadfast]

I found a Snake hanging out in my outdoor brewder this morning!
He had eaten on of my 3 week old chicks!

The chick was a 3 week old phesant silkie bantam that we had hatched.
The snake was a black snake who was waiting to digest at bit more so he could eat another of my chicks!

I dragged him by the neck out of the rafters with my Blacksmith Tongs
and whacked off his head with a small wood hatchet...

Bye bye Mr. Snake!

So, to keep me from doing it again.... which I will... Happily!

Do you guys have any information to ward off the next snake,
before he make the mistake of commiting the captal offense of attacking my pretty birds....

 

[btrbeana]

2 1lb cornish X gone! I'm sure the heat lamp on a cool morning was a nice bonus. How he got through welded hardware cloth is beyond me. I feel so violated.