Some people think that chickens attract snakes to their property, but in actual fact snakes come hot on the tail of rodents. Keep your property rodent-free by: Safely securing your chicken feed in a treadle feeder or chicken feeder. Clearing any brush, or other objects near the coop where vermin could hide.
Not only can snakes eat your chicken eggs and reduce your yield, but they can also feast on your chicks. Sometimes, they even develop an appetite for adult chickens. And although most snakes are non-venomous, they may bite humans when they are startled or angered and their bites can be very painful.
Clear Out Tall Grass, Debris, Or Bushes
Snakes are vulnerable in open areas, so if you cut tall grass, clear debris, and trim back bushes, you're less likely to attract them. Lastly, cut back any branches and other overhanging items that snakes could climb up and drop into the coop from above.
Once they are through, they may consume a small chick and be too big to get back out again! Cloth or netting can help keep snakes from getting into areas that they are unwelcome. You can use hardware cloth or a fine mesh around fences, chicken runs, and even the base of your coop to keep snakes out.
Any holes that are larger than a half an inch should be sealed. Chicken wire is not recommended around your coop as it is usually big enough that snakes can make their way through the gaps.
However, the two do not have to go hand in hand and with some simple biosecurity measures you can keep these unwanted visitors at bay. So, do chickens attract rats? Simply put, yes, they can attract these pesky rodents, but rats are not an inevitable consequence of hen keeping.
What Smell Do Snakes Hate? Strong and disrupting smells like sulfur, vinegar, cinnamon, smoke and spice, and foul, bitter, and ammonia-like scents are usually the most common and effective smells against snakes since they have a strong negative reaction to them.
Perhaps the most well-known of these is garlic, which gives off a strong smell that snakes (and many other critters) strongly dislike. Alliums, in general (e.g., garlic, onions, scallions, shallots, leeks, and chives), aren't safe for most animals, and they will all serve as a repellent to some degree.
Peppermint Oil: This essential oil can be used both as a preventative measure and to drive away any snakes that may have already entered your property. The strong scent of peppermint irritates snakes, causing them to leave the area. Clove Oil: Snakes are sensitive to clove oil, which can be used as a natural repellent.
Snakes can slither through quite small spaces so you need to make sure your coop is covered with wire mesh with holes no larger than 10mm. Snakes do climb and of course can go under the coop wall as well so you should ensure the roof is covered as well as the floor with adequate sized mesh.
Large snakes can devour live chickens, while venomous snakes may endanger chickens through lethal bites. Moreover, humans, especially children are often taken by surprise when they casually reach down to bring out an egg or two and find a hiding snake in the bedding.
Mothballs. Mothballs are one of the most popular snake repellent products. The active ingredient in mothballs is either naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene.
Yes, but not necessarily always. Snakes consider cats to be predators and are scared of them. However, it doesn't guarantee that having cats around will keep snakes from coming near. The snake may detect other things in the area—such as mice or birds—that it likes to eat.
A common misconception about chickens is that they attract rodents, but the truth is that rodents are attracted to food and water, not chickens. Rodents are a nuisance and a health hazard to backyard chickens and controlling them requires a multi-faceted plan of attack, so let's roll one out!
But again, like we mentioned above, lime hasn't been proven to deter snakes, so that is also a myth. Now that we know that lime is not an effective deterrent to wildlife entering your property, what other steps can you take to keep rodents and snakes away?
Anecdotal evidence of Irish Spring repelling snakes
Some individuals claim that placing bars of Irish Spring soap around their property has effectively kept snakes away. Others suggest that grating the soap and scattering it in areas where snakes are commonly found has proven to be an effective deterrent.
EnviroBug solar snake repellers are built to be the highest-quality, most powerful snake repellers available. Built to endure tough Australian conditions, Envirobug solar snake repellers are effective up to a 40-metre diameter - meaning you need fewer, and they will keep snakes further away.
If you have a snake in your house but you don't know where he is, sprinkle baby powder or flour lines across the entrances to each room. When the snake passes over the line, not only will he leave a track but he'll leave a trail for a short distance.
Snakes get afraid of humans as part of their predator and prey response. Trauma may also stem from improper handling training. Also, having a chaotic environment outside the enclosure can make snakes anxious. The smell of the owner's hand may also trigger a negative response.
Simply by having your dog around, you will likely help to keep snakes away. That being said, you can accidentally happen upon a snake's territory, and there are ways to train your dog in these situations to avoid this or keep snakes away if you do happen upon their area.
Keep all yards tidy and clear from loose ground cover: sheets of metal, hard rubbish etc. Remove overgrown weeds and creeping vegetation. Snakes love rock retaining walls especially where there are holes or access to water (such as a pool). Be sure to fill in all gaps with concrete or another hard substance.