While small snakes may occasionally serve as treats for your chickens, large and venomous snakes pose danger to your eggs and your flock. By taking the time to secure your coop and address circumstances in your yard that can attract snakes, you can reduce the risk of snake encounters, keeping your chickens safe.
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Eliminate Hidden Coop Entrances
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Smaller adult snakes can slither into openings as small as a quarter-inch square, so the first thing to address is your coop. Examine all around the perimeter, checking for small cracks and holes. Seal any cracks in concrete walls or foundation with mortar. Cover any openings with quarter-inch hardware cloth secured firmly in place. Examine and seal areas such as windows, vents, rafters, decking or any other potential snake entrance. If you have a raised floor on your coop, apply hardware cloth around the perimeter. The dark, often damp area underneath a raised floor is attractive to snakes.
Make Your Yard Less Attractive
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Snakes look for sheltered spots to hunt from, and the area around your coop may provide just the shelter they need. Tall grasses, woodpiles, rock piles and areas of heavy weed growth provide perfect hiding places for snakes. Keep grass short in your yard and pull the weeds around your coop on a regular basis. Consider moving woodpiles and rock piles to another area of your yard a good distance from your coop.
Keep Additional Food Sources at Bay
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Snakes look for areas where food is plentiful. Unfortunately, chicken coops can present snakes with all-you-can-eat buffets. In addition to eggs, young chicks and even sometimes adult chickens, snakes eat rodents -- which chicken coops often house. Sealing the coop with wire to prohibit snakes will help limit rodents, but small many rodents are attracted to chicken feed. Consider changing your feed container to a hanging feeder or one that closes shut until a chicken steps on a plate. If you feed scraps to your chickens, remove leftovers after a short time. This helps to reduce the food supply to rodents, which attract snakes.
Reconsider Snake Repellents and Traps
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No federally approved chemical snake repellents existed at the time of publication. The Rutherford County, Tennessee, website says that some home remedies, such as moth balls or cayenne pepper spray, may help, but these can cause problems for chickens and are best avoided. Trapping snakes can be dangerous, especially if a trapped snake happens to be venomous. Your best course of action is to focus on your coop and surrounding yard to keep snakes at bay. If you trap or see venomous snakes in your coop, contact a professional removal service.
Maintain the Coop Consistently
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Regular coop maintenance is essential in order to protect your chickens from predators such as snakes. Remove eggs promptly after laying to reduce the temptation. Check for new openings or potential damage to the coop daily and make repairs as quickly as possible. If you find snakes hiding in your nesting boxes, consider mounting the boxes to a wall and eliminating any climbing option. Taking a few extra minutes each day can help keep you and your chickens safe from uninvited snakes.
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