Our new coop is located partially in the woods, near a creek. Coop is elevated, 1/2" HC cloth on all openings, run/coop covered with r-panel roof. Hoping no snakes come for a visit, especially since my little kids like to visit the coop.
I've tried to research the difference between cottonmouths and rat snakes here in Texas, but I know when the time comes, I need to make a decision on how to move em along. Yes, I know rat snakes are beneficial, I just wish they wore a name tag! A rat snake I can deal with, and can let them go, but I'm really not loving copperheads or cottonmouths!
I dispatched a coiled up juvenile copperhead who was sunning itself right up against my house. I'm not too much of a wimp, but I hated whacking an animal that hadn't done me harm (but I had my kids playing in the yard, etc etc). Because it was against the side of the house, and in the end, I took a shovel to it. But I felt that the shovel put me in too close of a proximity of the snake (to get a good angle, and to use the pointed end, not the flat, I had to be standing pretty close).
Next time, I'd like to be further away. A hoe head seems too light to really puncture, and I'd like to take it out within the first shot if I can.
I was thinking of a smaller size rebar (small for gauge, but long in length). Or isn't there some kind of pelleted air rifle thing that would do the job with not a lot of noise?
Not that I'm against firearms, but I live in suburbia and would prefer not to make daily ruckus with shooting around my illegal coop.
I've tried to research the difference between cottonmouths and rat snakes here in Texas, but I know when the time comes, I need to make a decision on how to move em along. Yes, I know rat snakes are beneficial, I just wish they wore a name tag! A rat snake I can deal with, and can let them go, but I'm really not loving copperheads or cottonmouths!
I dispatched a coiled up juvenile copperhead who was sunning itself right up against my house. I'm not too much of a wimp, but I hated whacking an animal that hadn't done me harm (but I had my kids playing in the yard, etc etc). Because it was against the side of the house, and in the end, I took a shovel to it. But I felt that the shovel put me in too close of a proximity of the snake (to get a good angle, and to use the pointed end, not the flat, I had to be standing pretty close).
Next time, I'd like to be further away. A hoe head seems too light to really puncture, and I'd like to take it out within the first shot if I can.
I was thinking of a smaller size rebar (small for gauge, but long in length). Or isn't there some kind of pelleted air rifle thing that would do the job with not a lot of noise?
Not that I'm against firearms, but I live in suburbia and would prefer not to make daily ruckus with shooting around my illegal coop.
