Snakes in the chicken coup

[JimWWhite]

Here in NC the Dept. of Wildlife has declared the Eastern Diamondback Rattler to be on the endangered list and have asked people to report any sightings of them so they can track them down and move them. I did happen to spot one back in the fall of last year crossing a country road. I slowed down and stopped when I saw it and I knew instantly what it was. It was a big 'un too. My guess is it had at least eight rattlers. Anyway, I reported it and the DOW called me back almost immediately wanting specific info on it and the location. They did sound very excited. It was near a bridge going over a creek and in a very wooded area. I never did find out if they located it or not. When I was young we'd see one or two a year. One year me and my brothers were picking blackberries when suddenly I heard the rattle of one. I dropped my bucket and ran as fast and as far as I could get from that place. Never saw it but I also never went back down there ever again.

 

[Carol Dee]

Same thought about snakes being good around the garden. But... I still give them a wide birth! Dh's dog torments them. One day that big old bull snake is going to teach him a lesson. So Dh grabs it an moves it up into a trailer on the property. Dog losses interest and snake is free no mosey on.

 

[Wishin']

We love the black snakes around here, they get enormous. We did kill one at one point. It was pretty funny, we noticed every week for three weeks that three chicks went missing. There were lots of theories, and talk about who took em', the coon, the possum, a snake. We debated back and forth and decided it wasn't a coon (no gaps large enough for a coon to get in, and no massacre) it wasn't a snake, (a snake would just take one), one kid enthusiastically suggest "what if it was THREE snakes!" We explained how it wasn't likely, what are the odds it is three snakes EVERY time)and laughed it off, finally we settled on a lil' possum. A few days later, another three went missing. The next day some one comes in the house saying "you won't believe this, look what I found in the coop"....... Yep that is right THREE black snake, two males and a female, caught them while they were mating (all three together), we tossed em in the woods, a few days later one of them was back in the coop. It didn't get any more chicks but we decided he had pushed his luck to the limit so he "died".
The copper heads are a different story, it is NOT fun to get a full dose of copperhead venom naturally I no longer walk around without my shoes on.... Well,at least not in the dark,.... at night,.... near damp places,....in copper head season.

 

[the1honeycomb]

Ive seen 2 timber rattlers huge! Very scary but we went around them. I let all non poisonous snakes sta but on my property have never seen a poisonous here

 

[baymule]

I find little brown grass snakes in my garden. I always move them to a thickly planted or weedy spot so they can hide. 2 years ago, workmen were remodeling the house across the street and found a huge rattlesnake in the front yard. It was over 5' long and had 13 rattles and a button. They killed it, which in a neighborhood with a family with 4 kids moving in the house, was the safest thing to do. That's my DH's foot, for size comparison.

 

[catjac1975]

GGGGGRRRROOOOSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!

 

[AMKuska]

My chickens found a wee little baby snake. Couldnt' have been more than 6-8 inches long. One of them caught it and 30 other hens stampeded after her to try and get it back.

 

[Nyboy]

When I read how guinea fowl where known for their snake killing, I wanted a flock. Then I read how loud they are and decided agaist them.

 

[seedcorn]

When I read how guinea fowl where known for their snake killing, I wanted a flock. Then I read how loud they are and decided agaist them.

Loud isn't the word!

They do a great job on insects and reptiles though. And crapping on sun decks!

 

[catjac1975]

I have fed tomato horn worms to my chickens in the past and they devoured them. These chickens that I have now would not go near them last summer. I'm sure they would not go near a snake if a big worm scared them.