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Snakes in the hen house
How do you keep snakes out of the hen house they are eating my eggs?? I have tried moth balls and it worked for about six days. Today I was putting more moth balls around inside the coop looked down and there is a snake coming in by my feet. Needless to say I moved out very fast and went for the 22 rifle. Well he was smaller then the other two I have already killed so I missed and he slithered out and back into the woods. So I put more moth balls all way around the inside and out side . Any suggestions on how to keep the snakes out of the hen house??
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Torry on -
It was my job as a kid to go get the blacksnakes out of the coop. I'd go get the long, leather welding gloves to pull them out. I remember a few times I'd be all the way out of the coop still pulling them out (8 ft.+ snakes!), the eggs cracking in their stomachs as they grated along the coop boards.
While there may not exist a 100% preventative method here are a few 'quick' fixes... I've heard guinea hens will terrorize snakes. Also, since you don't seem to have a problem with killing them, glueboards will do the trick too.
But consider a few other things. One, if the snakes are becoming a real problem for you, is coop location. Is it close to ideal habitat for the snakes? Are you providing snakes with plenty of cover to move in close? Examine your "chicken ecosystem" closely.
Two, are they really a problem? Are you ophidiophobic or herpetophobic? Do snakes eat your eggs every day? Sometimes we've just got to set a level of acceptable loss. We always relocate snakes because they provide outstanding pest control. By killing them you are removing an apex predator, allowing for unchecked populations of mice, moles and rats. Please look into a set of snake tongs and hooks, or if you like, a good pair of welding gloves!
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Permalink Reply by Ellen Peavey on -
I can't pull them out I would rather move the coop. I have a fear of snakes I know they eat mice and other rodents, and they are here for a purpose but I'm not touching them only if they are dead and then with a rack. The small ones are very fast it got away yesterday too small to get a good aim so I miss it and it took off like a shot going to Hell. I'm still using moth balls and they work for a while, but you have to make sure you don't wait past five days to replenish them. So moving the coop out to a place where there isn't so much woods would be my best choice. Thanks for your suggestions.
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Permalink Reply by Ellen Peavey on
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Jodie I can't send a regular e-mail because my lap top has a virus may be this one will go thru. Hope your Thursday will go well and the surgery goes well. I will be using my daughter's computer after today. I going to move the coop so I won't have to deal with the snakes.
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