Chickens have many predators, and that can be a problem. One of them is the snake, which is a very unexpected and stealthy animal and can often be found in many backyards in certain parts of the world.
But don’t worry; here I show you the steps you must take in order to protect your chicken and her eggs.
How to protect your chickens and their eggs from snakes? You have to cover any openings at night in the coop, remove food sources, use snake traps, and declutter your backyard. Snakes love junk to hide inside. Elevate the coop from the ground up and try to see where it’s most vulnerable.
Thankfully there are some simple steps you can take to protect your hens and their yummy eggs from snakes:
Table of Contents
1. Do some gardening
Gardening is an extremely productive way to keep your chickens safe: clear bushes, tall grasses, or vegetation around the chicken coop.
Make sure you have a visible clear area around their coop. If you don’t give the predators a place to hide, your chickens will look less attractive to them. Only a very few brave snakes will come out into the open through the daytime to attack your chickens.
2.Chicken Wire
The first thing you have to do is to provide a good fence that surrounds the chicken coop. Chicken wire, which can be purchased at Amazon or any local store, is lightweight and easy to install.
If you decide to use chicken wire, look for the thickest wire possible and with the smallest gaps. We recommend the Omlet Chicken Fence for most predators but the gaps may be too big for as smaller snakes can still gain access.
This will prevent small snakes from taking your chickens or eating their eggs.
It’s important you use the correct chicken wire, but that’s only the start.
You have to make sure you set up the wire fence the right way.
The wire fence should be 4 feet high, with 12 inches buried underground to prevent digging predators. And although snakes cannot dig, if they find a hole made by another animal, they will use it.
So make sure you bury your fence.
This will keep your chickens safe.
3. Add more defenses to your chicken coop
Due to most predators prowling around at night, your chicken must have a fully enclosed chicken coop to rest on. Keep them safe at night with a well-built chicken coop that is set up the right way. The safest chicken coop we have found to date is the Eglu Cube Chicken Coop Click here for USA prices and Click here for the UK
The chicken coop base should be at least 4 inches off the ground so that snakes cannot hide underneath. All doors in your chicken coop should be well made and include a latch so they can be closed tightly.
Many snakes are persistent; when they’re hungry and looking for food, they will try anything that’s possible to eat your chicken or their eggs.
Something that can help is adding a motion detector light, which you can find at any home improvement store or amazon.
A motion-activated light will scare off unwanted snakes at night.
Try to get a light that runs on solar or battery power.
4.Hardware mesh
Chicken wire is useful in keeping the poles inside your chicken coop and can ward off many predators.
However, some predators can break through a chicken wire or find ways to avoid it. Strengthen your co-op security with hardware mesh material
Start by burying the hardware mesh around the chicken coop.
To do this, dig a 6-inch trench around the chicken coop and start burying your mesh at least 2 feet below the ground.
This will prevent digging predators from taking your chicken or their eggs.
For areas that have flying predators, cover your chicken coop area with more hardware mesh to prevent flying predators from swooping in and damaging your chickens.
It takes extra time and effort, but your chickens can be much safer with these additional materials.
5.Snake repellent
Snake repellent is a great tool you can use to prevent the snake from getting close to your chickens.
I do suggest you read the instructions on how to use it.
But it’s a great and affordable product you can use.
There is no way to fully protect a chicken coop from snakes, but you can get pretty close with these safety precautions that I just mentioned.
But if you put in the work, you will have peace of mind knowing that your chickens are safe from any snakes or animals that may come looking for them.
What other animals attack chickens and how to protect them?
- Foxes
- Foxes
- Birds Raptors
- Weasels
- Badgers
- Stoats
- Raccoons
- Coyotes
- Rats
- Seagulls
- Cats
If the chicken’s coop is fenced with metal mesh, it is important to bury it up to 40 cm deep so that when predators such as foxes or coyotes that try to dig to enter, won’t be able to.
You must always be vigilant; if one day you arrive and find excrement from other animals that should not be there, that is a sign a predator may be nearby, so you must take precaution.
It is advisable to cement the chicken house floor, so it will be easier to clean and avoid predators from digging.
Some animals can climb a fence; in this case, I suggest you use an electric fence,
You could put traps for rats and mice, but that depends on you.
Home remedies to keep snakes away?
1.Dry repellent: mix two cups of sulfur with one of the mothballs and a half of crushed red pepper. Create with this a thin line that surrounds the entire perimeter of your chicken’s coop, patio, or the area you want to protect. Change it once a month or after rain.
2.Liquid repellent: mix 4 cups of ammonia with 1 cup of liquid lemon detergent. Spray on the areas that you want to keep protected and reapply every two weeks, or after heavy rains.
3. Coffee can: Poke several holes in the sides of a coffee can. Fill it with naftalin balls and cinnamon capsules. Place it where you want it to act as a snake repellent.
Do snakes eat chicken eggs?
Larger snakes will come and snack on chicken eggs and baby chicks.
Will roosters keep snakes away?
Both roosters and chickens will go after smaller snakes, but will sometimes stay away from bigger snakes. They use their clawed feet to scratch the snakes, and peck the snakes with their beaks.
What smells do snakes hate?
Snakes have a very strong sense of smell, and you can use this to keep snakes away from your house or chicken coop. Snakes do not like the smell of smoke, cinnamon, cloves, garlic, lime, or ammonia.
Will snake repellents harm chickens?
The manufacturer of snake repellents such as Snake-AWAY suggest you don’t use the product in areas your kids will play, and you should probably keep the product away from areas you keep your chickens.
Do chickens attract snakes?
In general, snakes are not looking for chickens. They may be following a rat or other animals and by chance might find a chicken. If the snake is hungry, they will use this opportunity to eat the chicken eggs, chicks, or even a full-grown chicken.
Conclusion: How to Protect Your Chickens and Their Eggs From Snakes
When protecting your chicken and their eggs, the most important thing to do is to be aware of your surroundings.
You have to be vigilant and look for traces of predators in the area and take the proper action to secure your chickens coop.
