I taught a class for the Chamber of Commerce today at the local college. It was a small class, but we had fun learning how to build a simple website. Some of the chores I normally do before sunrise, I put off until this evening.
This past week we weren't getting the number of eggs we normally get. I thought the chickens were probably on strike for better scratch feed or cooler water, but this evening I got to the bottom of the mystery.
A chicken snake well over six-feet long was in the nest and had one of the eggs in its mouth. I reached for my phone to snap a photo but the snake spied me, spit out the egg and made a hasty retreat.
I grabbed him by the tail and tried to pull it out, but it had lodged itself into a crack near the top of the nest and he wasn't giving up the fight. He was a lot stronger that I realized.
He did escape, but I'll have my eye on the nest. If we can't live in harmony without him getting my eggs, he'll go for a ride to the other end of the county.
But in this case, I think the answer to the modified age-old question: "Which comes first, the chicken snake or the egg?" The answer is obvious.
This past week we weren't getting the number of eggs we normally get. I thought the chickens were probably on strike for better scratch feed or cooler water, but this evening I got to the bottom of the mystery.
A chicken snake well over six-feet long was in the nest and had one of the eggs in its mouth. I reached for my phone to snap a photo but the snake spied me, spit out the egg and made a hasty retreat.
I grabbed him by the tail and tried to pull it out, but it had lodged itself into a crack near the top of the nest and he wasn't giving up the fight. He was a lot stronger that I realized.
He did escape, but I'll have my eye on the nest. If we can't live in harmony without him getting my eggs, he'll go for a ride to the other end of the county.
But in this case, I think the answer to the modified age-old question: "Which comes first, the chicken snake or the egg?" The answer is obvious.
I am glad you wrote that you would give him a ride out to the other end of the country rather than the alternative that others would have chosen. You have a good heart Rick!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that you found out why you were getting fewer eggs. I'm not a fan of snakes even though I wasn't afraid of them when I was a young girl but my mom was terrified of them.
ReplyDeleteThat is a long snake to deal with. I hope you have a plan to catch it. I'm sure there are others around.
JB
I had never heard of a chicken snake until now...I guess we learn something new everyday! I hope your able to get him.
ReplyDeleteMy goodness!!! I had no idea such things existed!!! And you grabbed it with your bare hands??
ReplyDeleteHey Rick, I think I might cause a ruckus as we have Rattle snakes... We don't transport them anywhere. They get the alternative. Don't mess with my chickens! And the egg came first silly; or wait maybe it was the chicken. It was the snake in the Garden that started this whole out of order thing any whoo...
ReplyDeleteRoxy
hahaha I'd have him in my frying pan lol
ReplyDeleteJust kiddin Eating my eggs would have consequences!
You were brave to try to catch him.
I'd have a net hanging to drop on him. Come to think of it I don't hear my neighbors rooster any more.