Snakes in the duckhouse

[Launchpad]

So a few weeks ago when we first purchased the property there were two snakes in the duck coop. Both snakes and the coop are in the pictures.
The fencing and door into the their pen is adequate for any critter, except snakes.

As far as I can tell (I just moved to this part of Texas) they are king or rat snakes.
The other week I sprinkled Snake Away (non toxic) around the perimeter just in case that stuff actually works. I also bought some solar powered ultrasonic repellers to put around it.
Had not seen any snakes since and the 2 ducks seemed fine until today when a 6ft ish one was slithering up the ramp. I unfortunately didn't have my phone to get a picture. I herded the ducks out and am now weighing options on how to deal with these guys.

I'm thinking of putting a smaller size fencing around the bottom or thin hardware cloth at least so they cannot enter. I'm hoping they don't actually live under the coop and I have to catch them and move them. Not going to kill them but trapping/or catching seems like a possibility if necessary.

How worried should I be about the two 6 ish week old Pekins? I know snakes eat the eggs, which isn't a orbiter yet but will be; the ducks are large enough I don't think they'd be consumed but a large snake could definitely try.
So this is my new project; any and all help is appreciated

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yeah snakes are a problem here too. They come in through the pop door a couple years ago a 5’was in the coop probly in the loft storage area it tried to eat my Cochin bantam chick who was too big but he tried and killed it. I don’t think you need worry about 6 weeks old Pekins, I don’t know how you can keep them out without keeping the door closed.

 

[Spotgieter]

So a few weeks ago when we first purchased the property there were two snakes in the duck coop. Both snakes and the coop are in the pictures.
The fencing and door into the their pen is adequate for any critter, except snakes.

As far as I can tell (I just moved to this part of Texas) they are king or rat snakes.
The other week I sprinkled Snake Away (non toxic) around the perimeter just in case that stuff actually works. I also bought some solar powered ultrasonic repellers to put around it.
Had not seen any snakes since and the 2 ducks seemed fine until today when a 6ft ish one was slithering up the ramp. I unfortunately didn't have my phone to get a picture. I herded the ducks out and am now weighing options on how to deal with these guys.

I'm thinking of putting a smaller size fencing around the bottom or thin hardware cloth at least so they cannot enter. I'm hoping they don't actually live under the coop and I have to catch them and move them. Not going to kill them but trapping/or catching seems like a possibility if necessary.

How worried should I be about the two 6 ish week old Pekins? I know snakes eat the eggs, which isn't a orbiter yet but will be; the ducks are large enough I don't think they'd be consumed but a large snake could definitely try.
So this is my new project; any and all help is appreciated

We have 2 khaki campbells and discovered oak and rat snakes hanging out in the pen. We read on here that you can spray expanding foam in all the cracks and crevices, so that's what we did. The snakes aren't seen anymore, but we always survey the pen when we go in.

 

[Miss Lydia]

And your birds aren't eating it? I'd be worried about that, especially with chickens.
this is what I found in one of my coops.
Now eggs come inside instead of sitting in the basket.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That snake never did get that duck egg swallowed.