white oak snakes

[Ariesmom]

are white oak snakes ( sometimes large ) ok to have in and around your chicken house? I noticed one where my hen lays and ironically the next morning my bantam rooster was dead. Didn't notice any marks on him nor did he feel like he'd been crushed....coincidence or was it the snake??? I feel bad because I read about them and everything said they don't pose a threat to big birds just the babies. What happened?

 

[dacjohns]

Is this the snake you are refering to?

http://www.tanwater.com/wildlife/white_oak_rat_snake.html


Any snake except for little snakes like a ring-necked snake are not good for chickens. They might eat the eggs, they might eat chicks, they might try to eat teenagers. They won't be able to eat the larger birds but they will try. I have lost birds to snakes that got in the coop at night and tried while the birds were on the roost. I found the birds the dead the next day with wet matted heads and necks. Bantams will fit the size range.