Over run with snakes

[nanfan]

Man, I've had to kill 3 very large blacksnakes today and 2 more got away.  The very large hayfield in front of me was just mowed and all the snakes just had to come this way.  One was in my crabapple tree and had already eaten a nest of brown thrasher birds, one climbed the persimmon tree on the side and ate all the little bluebirds out of the birdhouse in that one, and the other was headed to my small chicks that I had just put out on the ground.  Luckily, I got him before he got any of them.  Guess I know now why all of a sudden there are a lot less eggs in my nests.  I only had to kill one the whole of last year and this year they are coming in droves.  Well, I guess I should be thankful they're not copperheads or rattlesnakes.  Charlie

[bluelacedredhead]

I never thought of them as being predators. 
We don't have poisonous snakes here, but we do have black snakes and garter snakes. For many years I didn't have to worry about them as I had a snake killing dog!! He didn't have to be told to kill them, he just did it! Hated them more than I did.

I hope you get them under control Charlie.

And keep those birds safe.

[nanfan]

BLRH, I know that the black snakes and king snakes eat some of the poisonous snakes but I lost a lot of chicks over the years from snakes.  I had one that was 7 ft. 4 in. long get into a pen of half grown Ameraucana chicks several years ago.  He had swallowed 4 of them.  I had 23 in that pen and when I started counting, I only had 14 left, so I know he had been there before.  I say "he", I never could tell the sex of snakes.....lol  I used to catch them and put them into the hayfield across the road but they keep coming back.  If they keep coming in droves like yesterday, that is just one more reason I want to sell this place and find something more to my liking.  Like you, I used to have a cocker spaniel that would keep them running but she passed several years ago and I still miss her.  The dogs I have now love everything and everybody and are definitely not guard dogs.  They would probably welcome the snakes into their beds for a nap........lol  Charlie

[AZ Chick]

We have had problems with them as well, but mostly Rattlesnakes. We do get spme of the beneficial snakes that eat rattlesnakes as well, but they also eat chicks. I lost half of my chicks last year to snakes, so this year they are all in the garage.

[Nicki]

We had a very bad snake problem last year; I lost several chicks.  Not having any problems this year though.