Will black snakes harm my chickens and chicks?

[patty12]

they will eat eags and small chicks. they would eat bigger chicks if they could swallow them.

 

[HerBee45]

I do thank you for and appreciate your information and assistance but I really do..and have done...my research before I buy on the beef and have done so for at least a decade, usually we buy from local farmers. As to battery chicken farming.....absolutely not, never had the stomach for it since they began or at least the last fifty years. Raised in Scotland and at that time none of these methods were much in use and certainly not the batteries until I was around twenty. Mother bought fresh fish..day's catch, fresh farm eggs from a little independent "eggman" whose entire flock was totally free range. Now I live in a State where chickens are the primary industry and it's appalling...battery houses all over the place, processing plants ditto, one just four miles up the highway and those awful chicken trucks a daily, distressing sight. I get my dairy from a local small farm..except for the goats milk . And no product don't come in this house unless it states "not tested on animals". As I said...in all sincerity...I DO appreciate your info etc. but, at the same time, with all due respect to your personal beliefs, we do believe that not being a vegetarian yet being animal conscious is do-able and, in a sense, seems to me that's somewhat agreeing with you.

 

[HerBee45]

Sorry..thank you for the snake and squirrel example. I knew black snakes would crush such as baby chicks and figured why not a 2lb. dog and now I know (he's not much bigger than a full grown squirrel). Fortunately the dogs don't stay outdoors long alone and one of us is usually watching from the back door. Now we'll be out there with them.

 

[Triple Willow]

 I do thank you for and appreciate your information and assistance but I really do..and have done...my research before I buy on the beef and have done so for at least a decade, usually we buy from local farmers.  As to battery chicken farming.....absolutely not, never had the stomach for it since they began or at least the last fifty years.  Raised in Scotland and at that time none of these methods were much in use and certainly not the batteries until I was around twenty.  Mother bought fresh fish..day's catch, fresh farm eggs from a little independent "eggman" whose entire flock was totally free range.  Now I live in a State where chickens are the primary industry and it's appalling...battery houses all over the place, processing plants ditto, one just four miles up the highway and those awful chicken trucks a daily, distressing sight.  I get my dairy from a local small farm..except for the goats milk .  And no product don't come in this house unless it states "not tested on animals".  As I said...in all sincerity...I DO appreciate your info etc. but, at the same time, with all due respect to your personal beliefs, we do believe that not being a vegetarian yet being animal conscious is do-able and, in a sense, seems to me that's somewhat agreeing with you.

It sounds like you are doing it all in a good way, better than I am! I really wish there was more "homegrown" meat, milk, eggs, veggies and fruit available and at prices regular people can afford. It is really a shame how the animals that die to give us our meat, milk and eggs are treated (and don't even get me started on the poison put on our fruit, veggies, etc.). It is done daily with the government's approval yet if somebody were to treat cats or dogs that way they would find their self in court. If you have the stomach for it, "Slaughterhouse" is a book that is really eye opening.

I really doubt a snake would go after your dog. It would have to be pretty hungry to go to that much trouble. The one here fell out of the tree it caught the squirrel in then my dog killed it. I couldn't figure out what it had ate so I cut it open to see. I could see lumps where the hips, shoulders and head were but I couldn't figure it out. When I started cutting I saw the feet first and on first glance I thought it had ate a cat! I doubt one would get your dog but it is possible. Hardware cloth (top included!) and plugging all the holes will keep them out of your chickens.

Good luck to you and welcome to the US!

 

[imogene08]

Had a Gartar snake In the coop the other day was sun bathing over the nest boxes no eggs where stolen the hens where just so curious with it it was maybe 3" or possibly 4" it went off after all the chickens started to follow it a Black racer sped by as well few days ago to the lake no interest in chickens only about 2"

 

[HerBee45]

Thank you! Certainly agree with you re the availablity and ease of buying the meat, poultry etc. not to mention pricing. I believe that we are what we eat and our food supply should be the source of our health...which it would be if producers haven't destroyed it by greed and I truly feel for those who really want to be source and animal conscious but find it difficult, especially when raising a family. As to produce...pretty sure we share the same outrage there! Currently I am avidly following the research, results and petitions with regards to GMO's and no doubt a real pain to many companies with my emails enquiring as whether or not their products are GMO free. To date I've had one response and at least they were honest. Fortunately, one of their products is GMO free. I'm looking at reaching my century so, while I'm human and lapse occasionally, figure healthy eating could go a long way to achieving my goal..lol. Which type of snake got the squirrel? The most prolific snake in our area is the black snake but we do have cottonmouths and timber rattlers..the only two venomous variety...(two more than I'd prefer!)

 

[Triple Willow]

Thank you!  Certainly agree with you re the availablity and ease of buying the meat, poultry etc. not to mention pricing.  I believe that we are what we eat and our food supply should be the source of our health...which it would be if producers haven't destroyed it by greed and I truly feel for those who really want to be source and animal conscious but find it difficult, especially when raising a family.  As to produce...pretty sure we share the same outrage there!  Currently I am avidly following the research, results and petitions with regards to GMO's and no doubt a real pain to many companies with my emails enquiring as whether or not their products are GMO free.  To date I've had one response and at least they were honest.  Fortunately, one of their products is GMO free.  I'm looking at reaching my century so, while I'm human and lapse occasionally, figure healthy eating could go a long way to achieving my goal..lol. Which type of snake got the squirrel?  The most prolific snake in our area is the black snake but we do have cottonmouths and timber rattlers..the only two venomous variety...(two more than I'd prefer!)

Ahh yes, those GMO's. Now that is scary! I don't think I want to eat grain or an animal that has ate grain that insects won't even touch! Good for you on doing your part on keeping them somewhat accountable.
We have the black and the gray rat snakes here. I believve most people call the black one the "black snake". Ours interbreed so we have a lot of variations in the color. The one that ate the squirrel was one of those. I have lots of them around here. We have plenty of different kinds as well as the copperhead and cottonmouth. I hope you don't keep you "live and let live" policy with venomous snakes. They are too dangerous.

 

[HerBee45]

Not ourselves...we take care of four feral cats and are fortunate to see a fair amount of wildlife around our home so as far as venomous snakes go (and we haven't seen any since living here..16yrs.) it's most likely we'd contact a wildlife removal service for assistance in relocating the creature where it wouldn't be an unexpected concern to the local communities. If that's not possible..we'd have no choice but to kill it, I'm afraid. Much as we'd hate to, obviously there are times and situations where there would be no option. I sure don't like snakes but they do have their purpose...mostly my anxiety is that I don't like surprises and opening the nesting box to find a snake looking right at me with an egg half-way in it's mouth WAS a discomfiting surprise..lol.

 

[Triple Willow]

Not ourselves...we take care of four feral cats and are fortunate to see a fair amount of wildlife around our home so as far as venomous snakes go (and we haven't seen any since living here..16yrs.) it's most likely we'd contact a wildlife removal service for assistance in relocating the creature where it wouldn't be an unexpected concern to the local communities.  If that's not possible..we'd have no choice but to kill it, I'm afraid.  Much as we'd hate to, obviously there are times and situations where there would be no option.  I sure don't like snakes but they do have their purpose...mostly my anxiety is that I don't like surprises and opening the nesting box to find a snake looking right at me with an egg half-way in it's mouth WAS a discomfiting surprise..lol.

Around my place I am the wildlife removal service. lol I have a zero tolerance policy on venomous snakes. They have to die if I see them and can get to them.

 

[imogene08]

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