There are many things about farm life that I absolutely love and cherish every day.
However, this does not happen to be one of them.
I appreciate the fact that snakes keep rats away and can tolerate them if I don't have to see them, but when they start eating eggs out of the nest boxes, we have a problem.
This one had already devoured one egg and was starting on the second one when I found it.
So.... Mr. Snake?
Meet the business end of my garden hoe.
Belle carefully examines her late house guest.
There is one little thing about snakes that really disgusts me... why do they have to keep moving so long after they're dead?
BLECH.
Sorry about the short (and slimy) post today- we are getting much needed rain and I'm going to spend the afternoon getting caught up with my indoor chores and do some blogging!
Happy Monday, everybody!
I hate..hate..hate snakes! Poor little chickens, have to put up with that! Yay for you..protector Mom...but it would so freak me out! :D
ReplyDeleteUggggm I would have been flipping. Poisonous?
ReplyDeleteHey there, Miss Julie- and yes, I DID freak out! But you're right- I'm protective over my sweet little Silkies and sometimes a girls' gotta do what a girls gotta do.... :)
ReplyDeleteKim- it was a non-poisonous rat snake.... but a very big one. I measured it (after it quit moving) and it was 56 inches long... UGH!
Yikes!! YOu are one tough cookie.
ReplyDeleteYYYiiiiikkkkkeeesssss!!!!!!! That's a long one, UGH!!! I think i would have gone potty in my pants if I came across that guy!
ReplyDeleteOkay, I skipped all the pictures cuz I'm so phobic about snakes but I gathered that you killed it. Darn snakes...You are so brave. I'm afraid that whatever the snake was in (your chicken area from the comments) would have been blown up by a shot gun blast if it had been me. Oh my,,,,
ReplyDeleteOh I do hate snakes!!!
ReplyDeleteGlad that you did kill it. I don't think that I could have done it.
thanks for sharing the chicks however.
Have a great day.
way to go - egg eating snakes are never going to stop unless you disable that eating part totally! well done
ReplyDeleteThat is a big snake,reminded me of a fight I had with a big black snake I found in one of my nest several years ago. He met with the business end of a ax that was handy. Blessings to you
ReplyDeleteP.s. please send me some of that rain !!
Ewww, knock on wood, we haven't had a snake visitor yet. I hope NEVER!! We have had them in the front yard but haven't caught one in the chicken coop yet, fingers crossed. But we did have peafowls. Both a peacock and a peahen!! Beautiful and a sure surprise.
ReplyDeleteYUCK....you are quite the brave one. That snake is HUGE!!!!! I know that some snakes are supposed to be good but we kill all the snakes that we find in our yard. We don't like them at ALL!!!!! I bet the chickens were scared to death with that big thing in THEIR house!
ReplyDeleteWow, that is a big snake!
ReplyDeleteSee, if you lived up here in the Great White North, you wouldn't ever have problems with snakes. We just don't have them here. (Other than the odd, small, reclusive, non-poisonous garter snake, but they're uncommon enough that I think I've only seen two my whole entire life. So they hardly count!)
You go girl! With that hoe! (you gotta a license with that hoe?) Good job on choppin' that snake! How dare he think he can eat your eggs!
ReplyDeleteHe was a good sized thang, wasn't he! You should hang his sorry carcass up where other snakes will see it and know what their fate is should they step one little toe (er - scale) into your henhouse!
Oh Paula-I LOVE how Belle is checking out that vile thing! She really had to make sure it was dead!
ReplyDeleteLove ya!
Debra
Yuck! You are such a brave girl to take after that snake!! Glad you saved the 'girls'!!
ReplyDeleteYou go girl!!
I am not afraid of snakes---unless I know they are poisonous. I know them apart--part of being raised on the river. That was one big snake and I know he would have been back repeatedly after having taken an egg. That is just the way they are. You did the right thing. I'm not sure I could have. I would probably holler for Mike!
ReplyDelete★Linda★
Ok,Paula, you are much braver than I. I run screaming to the house when I find a snake. I once had one fall from the ceiling across my back while I was bent over filling a waterer for the baby chicks. I thought it was the electric cord, then it moved. I almost died on the spot. I screamed so loud that my dh heard me inside the house and came running with the shotgun. I still shiver when I think of that. It was a black snake that had been getting my baby chicks. Glad you took care of the nasty creature. EWWW! Hope the rest of your week is uneventful. Winona
ReplyDeleteI don't like them either, yuck! But, you're right, as long as I don't see them, it's okay!
ReplyDeleteWay to go. Gotta protect our girls and the eggs. We have lots of snakes in South Texas! Luckily the various snakes I've had in my yard were non-venomous. I can't say the same for many folks I know. The most common venomous snakes around here seem to be rattlesnakes and copperheads!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Lorilee
Oh, I knew I would not like this post once I saw the word snake and I was right and I just had to keep reading! You are one tough farm chick! Okay...the other thing that impresses me is ...LOL!... your bloggy love! The fact that you had the presence of mind to go get your camera while that snake is in the hen house and take that photo! I would've FREAKED OUT!!! You're amazing! There would've been no documentation of any snake story if it happened on my end! No way! I am so impressed!
ReplyDelete(((hugs)))
~TattingChic ♥
Glad you caught the egg-eating-enemy of chickens in the act! Verdict~ GUILTY, punishment~DEATH!!!! Good for you Silkie Mama.
ReplyDeleteThere really isn't much that grosses me out. I have dealt with alot... but seeing that snake gave me the heebie Jeebies and its just a photograph!!
ReplyDeleteI'm a snake and spider lover. But I'm not a hater of those that don't. I love the silkies, though. I've got some silkie roosters that have mated with with straight feather hens. They are still chicks, but it will be interesting to see how they turn out. I haven't even checked the toes yet, but they do have a bit of a poof on the head.
ReplyDelete~Randy
You are so brave. I would have run the other way for sure. I hope all the ladies are okay.
ReplyDeleteYou are a brave girl, Paula! I've never killed one with a hoe~a shotgun-yes, hoe-no! Yikes, I just can't stand them.
ReplyDeleteGlad you are getting some rain. We've had some here and it's really perked everything up.
Wow, that's one big snake there. The only thing I hate more than snakes are spiders, especially the big barn spiders.
ReplyDeleteGO GIRL!!!
ReplyDeleteANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST!
OhYuckkkkk!!!Hahaaa
ReplyDeleteWas it a King snake?
hughugs
Ew! I actually caught my breath when I scrolled down and saw the picture. Nasty things! I've been known to hack a snake or two to death in my yard as well. They just bring that out in us for some slimy reason.
ReplyDeleteWow that is a big snake, and you are one brave woman. I would be running screaming in the opposite direction. We have 2 small garter snakes living under our front porch that come out once in awhile. They scoot away if they see us, which is fine by me!!
ReplyDeleteI think I'd see it and start running. I'm such a city girl :-) I didn't know they kept moving like that.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your chickens are safe now.
Blessings,
Marcia
Number 1 I would have ran in the opposite direction. Far far away as fast as my feet could take me.
ReplyDeleteNumber 2 I would not have came back with a camera.
Number 3 I would have made sure someone else went out and caught and killed it.
Number 4 I would not have gone near it to measure it even if it was dead.
You are one brave mama!
Take Care :)
YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My heart would have gone into arrest!
ReplyDeleteKudo's to you..I'd still be running ...Ginny
ReplyDelete