Thursday, May 10, 2012

Yeeoowwwww!

He's baccckkkkkkkk....


And he was on the hunt this afternoon when I got home from work.

I had no sooner taken this picture and turned around to start giving the chicks fresh water when....


He had silently come clear across the henhouse along the wall, and suddenly appeared almost at my feet... near the trough with the chicks.  The top shield is held down by two boards, the one on the other side is larger and heavier.

I finshed inside chores and went outside to get started, and about 20 minutes later came back in to get something... and literally almost stepped on Mr. Snake in the doorway... he ducked back under the storage cabinet.  Heavens knows there are so many mice in the henhouse, he shouldn't need young chick.


Meanwhile, out in the pasture pen... there's a hen party going on.

That's right, four little hens think they are all incubating the eggs NOW under the mille fleur on the right.  As she is my favorite of the mille fleurs in this pen, I'm cool with this.  In fact, I'm going to ask Keith to please finish the brooder box, because Mama and babies will need to go into it, so that the babies are not hurt after birth by the adults.  Remember, last year we had 21 of 22 chicks killed by other hens.

I'm not sure which of the mamas will get the honors to set the eggs.  They are about two weeks in at this point. 

Here's Aztec, at a year and a half.
Next Wednesday is Llama Rodeo Day, and the matted wool you see on Azzie's back is going to be removed.  She had only a partial shave for her first time last year.




9 comments:

  1. Snakes love chickens of all sizes. Broodies are real easy prey since they don't move. I have had friends find broodies dead with wet heads and necks where a snake tried to eat them, but couldn't manage it. I would remove that snake immediately with force.

    A 5 gallon bucket half filled with water with some floating seeds will help with the mice. Put a ramp up the side(outside) for the mice to get to the top. Dump the bucket of drowned mice daily and setup again each night.

    ~~Matt~~

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  2. Yeowwwwwwww!!!!! is right! :)

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  3. Wow, that's a big 'un. I think Matt's right. That snake needs to either be rehomed far away or done away with.

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  4. Holy Moly..
    That snake gives me the heebie-jeebies!!
    Time to make the snake go away.

    I like the suggestion of "Foothills Poultry".

    Much better solution than having that creepy snake around :)

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  5. Oh hell, that is a BIG snake. Yep, I would rehome the snake too. Your girls are too valuable to risk.

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  6. Something about how black that snake is makes it look even more frightening.
    The hens look so content : )

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  7. I'm cool with the idea that snakes exist, but I could not have taken a picture of him and then go back in there. Time for Project Snake Relocation.
    The hens are adorable.

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  8. sure hope mr. snake sticks to rodents and doesn't switch to fowl!

    thanks for stopping by today!

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  9. woo hoo, llama rodeo day sounds like a video in the making

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