We have a huge Gray Rat snake that visits our coop once a week or so. I used to take it and carry it to the woods, but it comes back. We have such a problem with rattlers that I’ll gladly pay it an egg a week if it keeps the others away. Our chickens aren’t scared of it and I haven’t seen it bother them.

The last time we found it visiting, it sat on one of the roost bars and ate the egg. Yolk was dribbling out both sides of its mouth and the chickens were under him eating the drooled yolk. If posting a video wasn’t such a problem, I’d post it up.

The snakes we’ve got out of the coop usually come in the evening. We make it a point to gather the eggs by mid-afternoon.