My chicken ate a whole snake!

[kendallnoel]

One of my buff orpington hens ate a snake yesterday, whole. It was about a foot long and about as big around as my thumb! I was fascinated and grossed out at the same time....this is one of my "babies'. My question is - Will her gizzard be able to grind that whole thing up? I fretted about off and on all evening. By the time I got my phone and took a pic, she had almost swallowed the entire thing. All that is left sticking out of her beak is the little skinny part of its tail.

 

[barbiegirl]

Make sure she has grit. That will help grind up the snake. Chickens will eat anything they can catch!

 

[One Chick Two]

Our chickens have also eaten snakes and mice. She should be fine, just make sure there's plenty of grit and water.

 

[bugglesmommy]

Good girl!

 

[Jedi Clampett]

GO CHICKEN GO!!!!!!! Just got some BO's a few weeks ago, hope they eat the copperheads in my yard next summer!

 

[PineShavings]

Interesting, Sometimes when I go the backyard my chickens will follow me because I'll turnover the rocks because there's always something tasty under it. Last week, they found a garter snake and it's hilarious watching 15 hens fight over that one snake. The poor snake was being stretched but wouldn't rip so I just had to cut it up into small pieces and throw it to my hens.

 

[MontanaDolphin]

My chickens LOVE to eat snakes...we have non-venomous ones around here everywhere...worm snakes are their favorite it seems...I see them catch at least two a week! They've never had any problems digesting them...if your chickens are kept in a coop and run without natural grit, just give them some. If they free-range like mine do, even part of the day, they will get all the grit they need from your property.

Here's some pics of my chicks when they were still young fighting over a worm snake in the spring.

 

[Quailgirlie]

My chickens LOVE to eat snakes...we have non-venomous ones around here everywhere...worm snakes are their favorite it seems...I see them catch at least two a week! They've never had any problems digesting them...if your chickens are kept in a coop and run without natural grit, just give them some. If they free-range like mine do, even part of the day, they will get all the grit they need from your property. Here's some pics of my chicks when they were still young fighting over a worm snake in the spring.

Great pictures. That's amazing!

 

[CedarAcres]

Love the photos!

 

[kendallnoel]

I love to hear others' stories about snake eating chickens! My girls do get to "free range" whenever someone is home. They have probably killed and eaten snakes before that I haven't seen...when they are down at the barn I cant always see what's going on.