| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Annab |
Posted - May 12 2007 : 03:52:39 AM
I thought someting was amiss the other day when I started to pluck eggs.
Two golfballs in 2 nest boxes were missing, the one broody hen wasn't setting so tightly and there were only the eggs she had been setting on. We have 2 nest boxes on the floor too. As of late, some of the hens have been laying behind these. So I shoved out out of the way, and sure enough, I uncovered a HUGE rat snake. OOPS!!  It gave me a pretty bad start. I'm not afraid of snakes, but when I get surprized like that, it gives me the willies.
So I was able to grab the snake and take him for a walk across the creek. (He was safely in a bag)
NOW, day 2. Same thing. Not many eggs to be had. I pick up one lower nest box and recover 3 eggs. I peek behind the other and discover another black tail disappearing. I then pick up the other nest box on the floor and find another BIG black snake. That's 3 snakes in 2 days!!!
I definitely need to set some rodent traps.
So now yet another snake has taken a ride and one has yet to be found again. Probably this afternoon. He's smaller and may not be able to eat the eggs.
Poor hens!
and poor snake when he discoveres a cache of golfballs and tries to eat 'em all! |
| 12 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| RachelLeigh |
Posted - May 20 2007 : 6:53:26 PM
I would have had a stroke. I am terrified of snakes. I can't even watch them on TV without being convinced one is going to drop on me in the shower (seriously, I'm terrified that I'll get soap in my eyes and when I clear the soap out, a snake will be on my towel. I think I should have my head examined!) We live in a suburb of Louisville so we don't encounter snakes as much as rural folks. I'm completely jealous of rural life EXCEPT for the whole snake-encounter thing. You are a truly brave person to grab that snake like Steve Irwin (God rest his soul) and relocate him. I would have relocated MYSELF! :)
check out my blog: http://catholiccountrygirl.wordpress.com |
| mikesgirl |
Posted - May 20 2007 : 6:01:34 PM
I'd never be able to go in the henhouse again! |
| Annab |
Posted - May 20 2007 : 5:40:11 PM
Thanks!
I also removed the lowest nest boxes, so the remaining 4 are off the ground by 3 feet.
I know snakes can climb, but maybe this will bide time 'till I can get home each afternoon to pluck the eggs.
Funny though, my smaller coop has 6 BB Red chicks that would have been way easy pickins, and its only 10 more feet away. |
| CountryGirl85 |
Posted - May 18 2007 : 8:58:25 PM
For the most part, I love snakes! As long as they're not deadly or a bother (eating eggs, scaring hens, etc.), I really don't mind them around. We keep the back door propped open for the dogs and last week I found a big garter snake slithering down the basement stairs. He startled me, but I managed to wrangle him into a laundry basket and set him free! He would have been a goner had my fiance's mom found him. She HATES snakes! Our yard reeks of mothballs and the snakes don't seem to mind it. They come around all the time. We do have some mice living under the shed, so that may be why. Can you tell I'm a big time animal lover? I even have a soft spot for the creepy crawly ones! I guess I need my own show on the Discovery Channel. hehe!  I hope you get your snake problem cleared up!
Laura
http://thecraftycatgirl.blogspot.com
http://www.craftycatgirl.etsy.com
"In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart." Anne Frank |
| Annab |
Posted - May 15 2007 : 03:43:42 AM
A most excellent idea! Thanks I'll give it a try. |
| UrbanChick |
Posted - May 14 2007 : 05:53:26 AM
If you have glass jars or baby jars you can put moth balls in there and seal it shut and poke holes in the lid and place the jars in the coop. The moth balls with keep the snakes out of the coop and the chickens can't get to the moth balls through the jars. I do this throughout the yard when I garden in the spring and summer. If they are left outside I have to replenish the jars every so many weeks because rain will get into the jars but they have worked well over the years. My pest control guy swears by it. He places them in babyfood jars in my yard so my daughter dosen't pick them up and eat them.
"Courage dosen't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying: I will try again tomorrow." |
| Annab |
Posted - May 14 2007 : 04:23:32 AM
Yep,
I have a friend who is a herpitoligist, and he told me the same thing. Most snakes have a home range of about a mile. So when I took the first one for a walk, it was a little further than a mile, and across two bodies of water. Even if he comes back, at least it will take some time. The second largest one was given to some friends on that second day.
Hubby also got the weed eater out and mowed down some of the tall grass growing along the coop. This may help quell the rodents.
The main feeder is suspended from the coop ceiling and off the floor about a foot.
I now have a trap set. It's in a sction of PVC alongside the coop.
|
| lilpunkin |
Posted - May 12 2007 : 8:38:11 PM
Oh MY! I hate snakes! i feel for your hens too. they give me the EBGB's! We too are starting to get snakes out. i havent seen any around the property yet, but I have seen several on the road...dead! i think they are still moving a little slow and not making it. unfortunately for us, we have rattle snakes. i would much rather have a rat snake!
Life isn't measured by how many breaths you take, but by how many moments take your breath away. |
| goneriding |
Posted - May 12 2007 : 8:36:44 PM
Snakes are not something I will deal with!! Altho I once had a 'pet' garden snake named Checkers.
Poor hens...do you hear squawking during the nite that maybe could alert you to nefarious going's-on in the hen-house?? Criminy!!
Winona :-)
Don't sweat the small stuff...
http://goneridingagain.bravehost.com |
| Alee |
Posted - May 12 2007 : 5:10:00 PM
Anna-
Yikes! It sounds like you might have a rodent problem to be attracting so many snakes. Or perhaps they just are coming for the eggs? I feel sorry for your hens. I am sure they are none to happy about their house guests, eh?
Alee |
| Shirley |
Posted - May 12 2007 : 12:27:14 PM
OMG Id be in the next county.
Im getting shivers just thinking about it. ((((shutter )))))
shirley |
| levisgrammy |
Posted - May 12 2007 : 04:20:52 AM
Anna, Have you ever heard that if you don't take a snake away firther than a mile they will come back again?
We have rat snakes here and someone told us that. Don't know if it's true because we have so many of them. I can't stand them in the henhouse though and I don't touch them. EEWWW! Guess I'm not a very brave farmgirl. LOL
"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof and all that dwell therein."
www.torismimi.blogspot.com |
