Snake Stopper or other snake repellant

[verlaj]

I am concerned that rat snakes may be getting into my coop and eating eggs since I on many days there are no eggs in the nesting boxes. There are other reasons, I know, that there might not be eggs, but I am particularly wary of snakes at the moment because I have a broody hen on 10 eggs that I would like to protect from snakes. My other hens free range around the coop during the day, so I don't want to spread anything that would be toxic to them to repel snakes. I found a product called Snake Stopper that is supposed to be safe for pets. I am thinking of spreading this in a band around the base of the coop. Does anyone have any experience with this product, or any other suggestions? The coop is definitely not snake-proof, and it would not be practical to make it so. I am going to reinforce the broody's quarters with hardware cloth, but would like to discourage the snakes from coming into the coop anyway. Thanks for any advice you can offer.

 

[jenjscott]

Yes it is ok to use and seems to work for me and I do have snakes.

 

[Clay In Iowa]

My mothers family had 3,000 laying hens when she was a child. She and her sisters had to collect eggs daily by hand. She had a 100 % snake stopper... I think she called it a garden hoe.

 

[verlaj]

jenscott - Thanks for the testimonial on Snake Stopper. I'll give it a try.
Clay in Iowa - I'd rather not kill a good snake when I see it. If I find them in the chicken yard or nest box, I catch and relocate - far, far away. However, I find that usually you don't see the snake for a long time - just seem to have very few eggs at the wrong time of year for a long time, until you happen to see the snake. I'd like to prevent the egg loss, especially the ones my hen is trying to hatch.

 

[scarter]

This is about the 50th post this week (exagerating but still!) that says they relocate far away. Gee thanks for doing that. Have you ever thought that far far away might be near MY CHICKENS????? Why do people hoist their problems on others? That is cruel to the snake and cruel to other people and animals. If you don't like it then dispose of it don't make it someone elses problem to deal with.

 

[verlaj]

Well - I relocate the snakes far, far away in a huge state preserve, not by someone else's house. Figure there is great habitat for them out there and they are not bothering anyone.

 

[Clay In Iowa]

I agree with you verlaj I like snakes but I also see scarter's point.

Here in Iowa we have Fox snakes. They get rather large and kill by constriction. Young Chickens are a real treat for them. It's not uncommon for them to roam widely until they find a good source of food. When I find one it must unfortunately be destroyed. Relocation simply sends my problems down the road to someone else. Same goes for Raccoons, Possums, skunks etc.

 

[scarter]

When I lived in IL I had a friend we knew that worked for the state. I'm not sure what he did but he worked in management for the forests. We had a huge rabbit problem where we lived in a neighborhood and asked him if we could trap and release in the state preserves. He said it wasn't legal but if we did it in hidden then they could turn a blind eye. I thougth well that's not right so we stopped doing it.

I live near a state bird protection area. There are people all around wildlife areas. Animals don't just stay in one spot they roam and travel to available food sources. I get cranky about this cause we live in the middle of a farming community and WE live in a section of woods. So be it snakes, coons, dogs, cats I just feel like people are throwing what they deem to be trash out onto us to deal with.

 

[verlaj]

I see everyone's points. I wouldn't like to have people dropping off their varmints near us either. Never really thought a rat snake released on a 21000 state preserve every few years would have a significant impact, but I will inquire.

All the more reason to use "Snake Stopper if it works," because all I really want to do is keep them from eating the chicken eggs and my chicks-to-be. I really like having the non-venomous snakes around our place. We have no problems at all with rodents, I'm sure because of them. I'm not sure of this, but I have read that some of the non-venomous snakes eat the young of venomous snakes, which I really don't want hanging around.

 

[twzlrwho]

I read somewhere that wormswood deters snakes. I was going to try it this year. Anyone else know about it?