Egg Thief - I got him this time!

Mini Horses

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The one you had was the color of the one I dispatched this morning at my DDs shed. Hey, 6:30AM & she's calling me to come get this snake! One's I've had here are the black(er) ones. They have a pattern, more seen when young but turn almost total black with age...slight pattern can be seen...if dead and stopped :D They do emit a very musky odor as being chopped.

Guess it lingers as the hens are totally upset. OR -- heaven forbid, there's a friend left behind...:rolleyes: Trust me, I LOOK!
 

CntryBoy777

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It is kinda one of those "sceince things"....the gray rat snake is only gray and visiable pattern of grays, when they are young....everytime it sheds, the color and patterns change and continue changing thru its lifetime....when they get fully mature they are as FEM's pic....3-5' length is difficult to tell them from a racer....and most don't wish to look long enough to distinguish between the 2.....:)
 

Sheepshape

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Just seen this thread for the first time.....Boy, do you guys have some predators to cope with across The Pond.

Snakes stealing your eggs......blimey.

I do lose some eggs if my chickens lay outside in the summer....but only to the likes of ravens and, overnight, these
Hedgehog.jpg

But, I really don't mind if hedgehogs take the eggs....

Does anything eat the snakes you kill? (just thinking of recycling).
 

YourRabbitGirl

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Oh no!!....that is a grey rat snake....they will and can empty a nest rather quickly and will return if they aren't "dispatched" and depending on size can eat up to 18 eggs.....I've tried relocating them, but they can travel some distance and to be sure they are not returning.....take them out....they will eat young birds also.....hope ya showed this one your appreciation FEM!!.....:rant:somad
That seems to be a very silent predator.. good thing we dont have those here anymore.. someone already got rid of them. 😊😊😊
 

YourRabbitGirl

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Just seen this thread for the first time.....Boy, do you guys have some predators to cope with across The Pond.

Snakes stealing your eggs......blimey.

I do lose some eggs if my chickens lay outside in the summer....but only to the likes of ravens and, overnight, theseView attachment 68723
But, I really don't mind if hedgehogs take the eggs....

Does anything eat the snakes you kill? (just thinking of recycling).
snakes here doesn't have any natural predators here.. But how I wish they have. they really are quite nuisance.
 

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