WARNING: Pictures below!
When we put the baby chicks inside the coop, Vince boarded up the entrance to the laying boxes because they love to get in there and sleep and then they don’t want to stop doing that that. The laying boxes are for laying . . not camping out.
Clean Coop (or as clean as it gets!)
The coop was as clean as it gets and all we needed to do was put he pine shavings in but before putting the chickens back inside, Vince decided it was time to take the boards off the laying box entrance.
Once he opened the outside door to the laying boxes, he was quite surprised to see a snake in there. There haven’t been eggs in there for a couple of years! I think these chickens are big enough that the rat snakes won’t kill them but . . maybe not.
Laying Boxes
(Excuse my finger in front of the camera. I was having to hold the door open. I guess we both forgot there’s a hinge thing on this coop that holds the door up. Vince is using the handy dandy snake grabber to get it out.
Rat Snake
It’s a rat snake and normally, they’re not bad to have around but this year, we are totally overrun with them. They’re eating eggs, they’ve killed one bigger chicken, one baby chicken, eaten 7 eggs that were about a week from hatching and no telling how many eggs they’ve consumed. We’ve seen 12 snakes, only three were rattlesnakes . . but this is still June. I would be happy if we don’t see another one but I know that is not how it’s going to be.
Dottie says
I’ve been afraid of snakes my whole life – they just give me the heebie jeebies :-). I know there are a lot of beneficial snakes, but, I’m DEFINITELY NOT a snake person!!!
Linda Adamec says
I think that more and more people are letting rat snakes go (rather than the other option) because they’re “good snakes”. Obviously this one has been running around and eating well for a while. We’ve seen more in this first month of summer than we usually see all year. I love Vince’s snake catcher!!!
Alison says
What happened to Vince’s red shorts? It’s not Christmas anymore!
joan says
Yep it’s time for an apartment in a big city! LOL!!! I’m not a snake lover either. They really give me the willies!
Judy D in WA says
HOLY CARP!!! I would have passed out right there! Vince’s new title: Snake Wrangler. I hope they disappear like the dinosaurs did.
Cathy Stoddard says
Judy, what is the floor in your coop made of?
Helen says
Ewwwwww!! Judy, I am so terrified of snakes! Thanks for the warning of the photos-to-come, but I looked anyway. I get goosepimples all over my body just seeing a photo! I don’t think I could take living where you do, just because of the snakes! (Then you tell us all about the grasshoppers, the spiders and other “critters” that live so close by. I think you are the bravest of the brave.)
Laura H says
Vince sure has adapted well to the necessities of country living!
Snake-grabber, what a great tool. Glad you have one, and he knows how to use it.
tiptopquilts says
That is a BIG snake! I think that’d be enough for me…I’d have to get rid of the chickens.
Jackie says
OMG, you warn us and I still look….would they bite you? Vince is my hero!
Joyce says
With all the talk of snakes (here and in a group in Ravelry), I’ve had snakes on the brain. Last week I saw 3 of them in my yard over the course of 3 days. Yikes! They were just garter snakes, but that’s more than I’ve seen in probably the last 4 years! I don’t mind beneficial snakes since I don’t have chickens, etc. but I want them to keep their distance, and they weren’t nearly far enough away from me when I saw them. I’ve been really cautious ever since…LOL
Angie Kiker says
Another reason to move out of Texas!
Mary Crowther says
Yikes! I would hate to see that big snake in my yard. Guess I’ll not be moving to Texas.
Gale says
Well that totally convinced me that Texas is not where I want to move. The only good snake is a dead snake!. I could not bear to be that close to one.