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A backyard chicken owner was left scratching their head after eggs kept disappearing for days. They only learned what was happening when they saw multiple chicken snakes curled up inside the nest boxes.
What happened?
"I hadn't been getting eggs for several days, I thought my chickens were eating them," the backyard chicken owner wrote on Reddit. "I went outside to check one day and I saw 5 or more chicken snakes in my nest boxes."
A commercial snake repellent seemed to help only briefly, according to the poster.
"We bought some snake repellent powder and it worked for a couple weeks, but here over the last few days I have not seen any eggs again! How do I get rid of these snakes?" they wondered.
Some comments in the thread provided various tips and tricks to protect their eggs. One Redditor said, "We had a friend suggest the vanilla scented tree air fresheners. We hung a couple in the coop and so far so good."
Others suggested safely trapping and relocating the reptiles, or getting a barn cat or dog to ward them off. One user also said to "put nest boxes higher up."
A warm shelter stocked with eggs can become an easy food source. By building coops, storing feed, and creating sheltered nesting spaces, people can unintentionally attract both rodents and the snakes that prey on them.
Why does it matter?
Missing eggs can add up over time, especially for people relying on backyard flocks to help cut grocery costs.
But snakes are an important part of local ecosystems. They help control rodent populations, which can otherwise damage property and spread disease. The best end goal is not to harm them, but to make coops less attractive in the first place.
In many cases, animals are responding to food, shelter, and landscape changes created by people.
What can I do?
If snakes are targeting a coop, the most effective fixes usually focus on access and attractants. Collecting eggs more often, especially early in the day, can reduce the reward. Securing feed in tightly sealed containers and cleaning up food spills also helps by discouraging rodents, which attract snakes.
Chicken owners can also inspect nest boxes, walls, and flooring for gaps or openings. Using smaller-gauge hardware cloth around vulnerable areas, elevating nest boxes where possible, and clearing brush or debris near the coop can make the space less inviting.
Repellents may offer only temporary results, as this chicken owner experienced. Humane prevention is generally more reliable than repeatedly trying to drive snakes away after they have already found a dependable food source.
Anyone dealing with large numbers of snakes may also want to contact a local wildlife agency or a licensed humane removal expert for advice tailored to their region and the species involved.
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