How do you keep snakes out of the coop?

[Ameraucana122]

I want to make my chicken coop safer for my baby chickens because a snake attacked one of them and now I am concerned. What is the best way to keep snakes out of the coop. My main coop is snake proof, but the outside is a chicken wire cage where snakes can get in and out easily. What's to best way to keep snakes out?

Thanks

 

[HeatherEmme]

Remove the chicken wire and replace with 1/2" to 1/4" hardware cloth. Nothing big enough to hurt your chicks/chickens can get through the holes.

 

[animals1981]

did the snake attack an adult?

 

[Ameraucana122]

No a king snake attempted to constrict a 2 month old chick. We got to her in time though and the chick is recovering.

 

[Nambroth]

Scour your coop top to bottom for any cracks, holes, or other ways a tiny creature could make it in. Seal these off permanently.

For vents, I use 1/2" hardware cloth on the outside, and metal screening inside. This also keeps wasps out, but allows a good airflow. Snakes can't get through the screen.

Check your doors (human/pop door/egg door if you have one) to make sure they close snugly with no gaps. Always close all these at night. This will keep snakes and other predators out.

For chicks, it is best to keep young/small birds in safety (indoors/in the coop/in the garage/etc) or with a protective mother hen if hatched by a broody. She won't tolerate a snake after one of her chicks.

 

[Ameraucana122]

The chicks are staying inside of the coop right now, but I want to secure the outside for my older chickens too. Another king snake got inside of a vent in my coop today, but I heard the chicks and got to them in time. We are going to put some smaller wire on the vents (since it got through the other wire) and around the cage tomorrow. The snake managed to climb 6 feet straight up into my coop. We are going to make sure that doesn't happen again.

 

[Nambroth]

The chicks are staying inside of the coop right now, but I want to secure the outside for my older chickens too. Another king snake got inside of a vent in my coop today, but I heard the chicks and got to them in time. We are going to put some smaller wire on the vents (since it got through the other wire) and around the cage tomorrow. The snake managed to climb 6 feet straight up into my coop. We are going to make sure that doesn't happen again.

Yep-- they sure can climb! Every possible entry needs to be examined and made so that they can't get in. It should help stop the problem. If you find small snakes try to get in the wire, you can staple metal screen (like window screening) on the inside of the vent area. That way there is good air exchange but no critters.

The other benefit to using the hardware cloth/wire is that raccoons can't rip into it the way they can with chicken wire!

 

[Ameraucana122]

Thanks for all of the advice! The chicks are staying locked in the coop now and we put screen over the vent to keep snakes out. The older birds are being free ranged right now, but when they go back into the coop, we will snake proof the outdoor part too.

 

[wv leipers]

GETTING RID OF SNAKES IS EASY WITH A SHOT GUN . BUT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THAT ; TRAP THE SNAKE AND HAUL IT TO ANOTHER LOCATION . THE EASY WAY TO TRAP A SNAKE IS EMAIL ME AND I WILL EXPLAIN IN DETAIL WV LEAPERS

 

[MelissaTXRn]

A shotgun always works for me OR, I have seen people run electric fence wire around the bottom of the run and coop so when they try to climb up, it zaps them.