Can a chicken eat a black rate snake?

Question

I know that rat snakes prey on chicken eggs but is it possible for my chickens to kill a rat snake? The snake was fairly large (about 3-4 ft long). Also, will the rat snake kill the chicken or just go for the eggs?

I have 3 adult chickens.

Answer 1

Your chickens are capable of killing a snake. They will grab it and fling their heads around, trying to kill the snake by smacking it on something hard.

Answer 2

I have seen chickens run instead of fighting a snake. That being said , I had a pencil thin six inch long rat snake that ate an adult mouse. It's a LONG story, the mouse was meant for a one year old rat snake, and two pinkies were for the baby rat snake, but there must have been a half inch between the scales. That four foot rat snake may kill your chickens, but if it's not extremely hungry, it will go for the eggs. Now snakes are essential for the balance of the environment, so I don't suggest killing it, but there is a way to catch and release it elsewhere. Type in 'snake trap' to any search engine on the web. Use yahoo, ebay, froogle (google shopping), whatever. It should bring up one called the "snake guard". Buy a couple and put them along the wall of the chicken house near where the eggs are. If you follow the instructions included with the trap, you should catch the snake. Then you can take it many miles from your house and use the suggested solvent and release it. I believe Pam cooking oil will do the trick. The funny part about this trap is that once the snake is caught in it initially, they actually move more into the box to avoid capture, and just get more stuck. I've had about a 95% usage success with it. I personally suggest releasing the snake instead of killing it, and check the trap EVERY morning. Snakes hunt at night, and you will find it in the trap first thing in the morning if it works. Hope I helped.

http://www.snakeguard.com/

Answer 3

There's no way the rat snake would try to eat a full grown chicken. Snakes generally only eat things up to 1.5 times it's own width. Rat snakes eat rats, not eggs. Chicks might be a viable food source, but not the eggs. There's a good chance the chickens could have killed it though. Check for cuts or chunks of flesh missing from the snake. A 4ft rat snake is no real match for a pissed off chicken.

Answer 4

Black rat snakes are not egg eaters & even a 4ft snake wouldn't try to eat an adult chicken. The chicks are another story. The adult chickens would try to drive the snake off by pecking at it & unless the snake is really hungry, it will usually retreat. Chickens are not strict herbivores or insectivores, but more or less grazers of opportunity. They might try to eat a baby or juvenile snake, but they wouldn't try to eat an adult.

Answer 5

a chicken has sharp claws and a sharp beak, if the chicken was lucky it could kill a snake. The snake could also kill the chicken if it got lucky, but eggs are easier, they don't fight back. Chickens will sometimes eat meat and if the chicken was able to it might eat a snake, a snake will definately eat a chicken if it can.

Answer 6

A rat snake is rarely killed by a chicken but if a chicken is disturbed and there are enough chickens they will peck the snake to death.

Answer 7

Chickens can peek and stomp with their feet in defense. It may have killed it. The snakes tend to go after the eggs and chicks.

Answer 8

I don't have the answer to that, but will love to hear what others might say about that.

Answer 9

I know the rooster will/can. but not sure about the females.

Answer 10

No it can eat your chickien lol :)