9 Ways to Keep Snakes Out of the Chicken Coop

Now that the weather has warmed up, it’s time to figure out how to keep snakes out of the chicken coop.

After all, how often have you walked into your coop to collect eggs only to find that someone, or some thing, has beaten you to it? Or, have you ever reached into a darkened nesting box to grab an egg, only to grab something else? That happened to my neighbor, and she’s never really gotten over it.

Keeping snakes out of the chicken coop is hugely important. Snakes eat eggs and baby chicks, and they stress out your chickens. Sometimes, hens can get so stressed after a snake has infiltrated the coop that they stop laying.

Why Do Snakes Love Chicken Coops?

Chickens coops draw snakes like honey draws flies. And there are many reasons why snakes loooove chicken coops.

• Food – Chickens coops present an “all-you-can-eat” dining experience for snakes. There are eggs, baby chicks, and rodents all for the taking. If I was a snake, I’d certainly be hanging around.
• Water – Snakes need water just like every other living being. And they can easily get water out of the watering containers in your coop or run.
• Shelter – Snakes need shelter from predators, rain, and sun. Coops, and areas around the coop, provide excellent shelter for snakes.

I’ve had snakes that ate entire nests of hatching eggs. I’ve found them in the coop squaring off with a broody hen protecting her chicks. I lifted one giant black snake out with a bedding rake and threw it out the door because it had eaten an egg and was now too round to get back down the hole it came in. Two summers ago we killed a 6-foot rattlesnake that was trying to get through the coop door.

If you have chickens, then chances are you have plenty of your own snake stories to tell. Snakes just come with the territory. So, we’d better figure out how to get rid of them!

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How to Tell If You Have a Snake In Your Coop

There are a number of warning signs that you have a snake lurking in your coop.

• Decreasing Eggs – Collecting fewer eggs than normal is a big indicator that you may have a snake in your coop.
• Missing chicks – If you’re missing chicks, they might have fallen prey to a snake.
• Regurgitated shells – Snakes will regurgitate anything they can’t digest, and sometimes this includes eggshells.
• Missing fake eggs – If you use ceramic or wooden nest eggs in your coop and discover that some are missing, they might have been eaten. Snakes that eat fake eggs will not die, they just regurgitate them somewhere else. I’ve found my ceramic nest eggs behind the coop, and in our pasture.
• Dead chickens with wet heads – Sometimes snakes will try to eat a pullet or full grown chicken, and be unable to swallow them whole so they regurgitate it.
• Snake skins in or around the coop – Snakes shed their skin every six to eight weeks. And because they’re so delicate they generally don’t last very long when they’re out in the weather. So if you find one, it’s a clear sign that a snake has been lurking fairly recently.

We have a lot of snakes on our farm, simply because we have everything snakes want and need to survive: ample grazing land with tall grass for hiding, a garden, a pond full of frogs, a creek, a spring, a large barn, an elevated coop with plenty of eggs and mice for snacking, and a woodpile. During warm weather, hardly a day goes by that we don’t see a snake somewhere on our property.

That said, I do like having some snakes around. We have plenty of black snakes, which I welcome with open arms because they eat the rattlesnakes. I want them around to eat the mice. I just don’t want them in my coop. We also have rattlesnakes and copperheads, which I definitely don’t want around, especially with two wild boys that roam our farm on a daily basis.

How Do Snakes Get Into a Coop?

Snakes can slither through any hole big enough to fit their head through. Generally, this is anything larger than 1/2 inch, although babies will be able to fit through smaller holes than this.

How to Keep Snakes Out of a Chicken Coop

Here’s some good news: you don’t have to purchase chemical snake repellents to keep snakes out of the chicken coop. Those repellents are often toxic, expensive, and aren’t guaranteed to work anyway. I don’t use them for those reasons.

There are plenty of natural ways to keep snakes out of a coop. And, you can use many of these techniques to keep snakes out of your yard as well.

Keep in mind that some of these tips might work, some might not. I use many of these strategies in my own coop, and I believe they reduce the number of snakes that come in. However, it’s not foolproof; nothing will keep snakes out of your yard and coop forever. We still get the occasional snake inside the coop. But I’d much rather deal with one snake a month than one every couple of days.

1. Cover Holes

One of the best ways to keep snakes out of a chicken coop is to make sure they can’t get inside. This means covering every single hole with 1/2 inch hardware cloth.

2. Deter Rodents

The more you do to keep rats and mice out of the chicken coop, the fewer snakes you’re going to have. Mice and rats are an important food source for snakes, so if you get rid of them you’re halfway there to solving the problem.

One way to keep snakes out of the chicken coop is to get a cat. No, cats won’t kill snakes (at least, most cats won’t.) But they will catch and kill mice. #yayforbarncats

You also need to do whatever you can to prevent feed spills. All that feed is what drew rodents into your coop into the first place. So, investing in a treadle feeder is a great way to prevent waste and ensure the rats and mice aren’t stealing food. Feed should also be stored in a galvanized steel trash can.

3. Plant Strong Smelling Plants and Herbs

Snakes have a highly sensitive sense of smell, which means they’re often repelled by strong scents. You can use this to your advantage by planting strong smelling plants, flowers, and herbs around your chicken coop and run.

Some plants and herbs that might help repel snakes include:

• Lemongrass
• Citronella
• Garlic
• Thyme
• Mint (any variety)
• Marigold
• Onion
• Rosemary
• Mugwort

4. Keep Grass and Brush Short

Make sure you keep all the grass and brush around your coop cut short. Snakes don’t like to move out in the open if they can help it, since this exposes them to potential predators like hawks. So, don’t make it easy for them to slither undetected towards your coop.

5. Use Cinnamon

Remember, snakes hate strong smells. So, sprinkling cinnamon powder or placing cinnamon sticks around the inside and outside of your coop might encourage them to take up residence somewhere else.

If you decide to go this route, purchase cinnamon in bulk to save money. You can find good deals on bulk cinnamon at Costco, Sam’s Club, and ethnic markets. I purchase cinnamon sticks from Costco, and place them around the walls of my coop to deter snakes.

6. Use Cayenne, Garlic, or Clove

You can also use cayenne pepper, fresh garlic, or cloves as an alternative to cinnamon. Sprinkle them around the outside of your coop, and refresh every time it rains.

Another option is to mix clove or cinnamon essential oil with water to make a spray. Spray this blend liberally around the outside and inside of your coop.

7. Get Guinea Fowl

Guinea fowl are excellent snake hunters. They also hunt rats, and will roam your property (and your neighbors’) as they forage and hunt.

I’ve often thought about keeping guineas for this reason (and because they eat an enormous amount of ticks,) but have never jumped in because of the noise they’re reported to make. Maybe one day I’ll give guineas a try, but I’m just not there yet.

8. Collect Eggs Regularly

Don’t let your eggs sit in the coop all day if you can help it. This is just setting up a buffet for the snakes! If you’re home, collect eggs several times throughout the day.

9. Use a Minnow Trap

Another option is to catch the snakes that are infesting your coop and relocate them to a patch of woods. So, how do you catch a snake? You use a minnow trap!

Minnow traps are inexpensive traps that are normally used to catch minnows and crawfish. However, they can also be used to catch snakes. The snakes slither in and then can’t get back out.

To trap the snake, place an egg in there for bait and place the trap in your coop. Check on it daily and, when you catch the snake, take it to a nearby natural area and release.

Last Word

If you raise chickens, eventually you’re going to have to deal with snakes. They just come with the territory. However, there are plenty of ways to keep snakes out of a chicken coop without resorting to chemicals or expensive “snake away” powders.

Strongly scented herbs like lemongrass, mint, and marigolds can help deter snakes. And, sprinkling cinnamon or clove oil around your coop can also help. You might find that a variety of these strategies is what it takes to keep the snakes out of your coop. Just keep in mind that nothing is foolproof. Even if you try it all, you still might get snakes in your coop if they’re hungry enough.

I’d love to hear from you. How do you deal with snakes in your coop? What have you tried that works? What didn’t?