Chicken wire won't keep snakes out, you need to use hardware cloth.

 

Use 1/2" hardware cloth or 1" X 1/2" welded wire.

 

If I had snakes around so close by I'd be trying to kill the lot of them more vigorously than being concerned about the fencing, though of course that's important.

 

A hoe or 410 works well.

 

Peacocks and guineas love to kill snakes.

 

Sorry you have this problem.

1/2" by 1/2" hardware cloth is the only thing that will keep snakes out.

I have some female turkeys and they will also kill snakes. One of my Grandmothers had them on her family farm, they swore by turkeys. They work.

Would also recommend, if you can, at least for their night roosting....
Is buy or build a Storage shed, one with a 1" heavy duty floor. That is what I have for my big hens.
Bought a Demo storage shed pretty cheap. No way for snakes to get in at night.
Have two windows that open, for air in the summer, but over that, I have stapled 1/2" by 1/2" heavy duty hardware cloth. I have wire around the bottom of the hen house, to make sure nothing gets under there.

They do have a hen house yard, double wired, the lower wire is bent in half, covered over with dirt and then gravel, so animals can't dig in.

We have learned what to do over the years... DH got tired of running out in the middle of the night, in his underwear and carrying a shot gun.
Way we have it set up now.. he can get a good nights sleep.

 

Definitely hardware cloth and not chicken wire. My outdoor brooder is made from used plastic signing we got from a store that was throwing them away. We screwed it together onto a frame made with 2x2's. Used hardware cloth for the floor and doors. We have a very large and healthy population of yellow rat snakes here. I actually lost a couple of ducklings from an indoor brooder to one. The kids had been playing hide and seek and one of them took off a screen and went out a window, leaving it open about an inch. Woke up one morning to find the warming light knocked over and a duckling missing. The next evening I heard a noise and caught the bugger in the act. He had eaten one and killed another. I don't generally kill these snakes because I can imagine what else they are eating. They are not living on stealing chicks and ducklings, and not even on eggs. With all the animal feed we have around I know that there must be some rats or mice, but we rarely see any. Personally, I would rather have a few rat snakes than rats or mice, but that's just me.

 

@bergere you have a beautiful set up! I really like the idea of covering the outside windows with hardware cloth. (Dual purpose) With the hail and crazy spring/summer storms we have I should do that on all of the out buildings here. I bet I'd have a lot less broken windows. Two were broke in just one storm last summer.

 

Thank you!
The hardware cloth over the windows... I am sure kept them from being broken in the big hail storm last year.
Wish the rest of the farm was as lucky. Maybe I should put hardware cloth over everything! LOL

 

Peacocks and guineas love to kill snakes.

Yep! Put a pen around your chick pen and put some guineas in it. No snake will get through them.

 

My guineas will "show" their prizes. I would NOT be without them!

 

Jack Russel Terrier works so do turkeys and guineas . But the wire cloths is the best answer while your working on the others.

 

Thanks everyone!! Thanks for the pics too!.
I mentioned I have window screening over the chicken wire. I also have small gauge wire as you show around the bottom of your pics.
Yes, all the wire is dug down below ground.
I added the screening over the wire , and not harware cloth because I live in Florida, and it gets steamy hot here,..so adequate ventilation, and breeze is crucial. I figured the screening would allow more air.
Basically its 3 sides of solid wood panels, and the side facing inside the coop is wired, and covered with screening. There are windows, up high. I can't see how a snake can get through window screen.
One thing I want to add...here in Florida, we try not to enclose sheds, and add flooring, because every critter, and snake seems to like to hide under any flooring. We keep everything off the ground here. Our hay, in the barn is up on shelves. We've found palmettos, and sometimes a snake hiding under. For now, I moved the chicks in a wired pen (small wire, and screen) within this coop. Obviously they're getting in from somewhere...I just can't see how, or where.

 

I added the screening over the wire , and not harware cloth because I live in Florida, and it gets steamy hot here,..so adequate ventilation, and breeze is crucial.

Hardware cloth will let a lot more breeze through than screen. And it's MUCH stronger than screen.

 

Yes, I think I got mixed up, and was thinking you guys meant shade cloth
We do have the hardware cloth all around, about half way up. Thats what I meant by smaller gauge wiring. Been using that for years..and yes it absolutely holds up much better.
I place mothballs all around the perimeter...any thoughts on that??
They're not cheap anymore..$4.69 a small box. Wondering if I should continue with them??

 

Moth balls don't really bother snakes much, but they are good sources of poisonous contamination. You need some hogs, they love snakes.

 

I had the same problem and discovered the snakes getting in were "climbers", i.e. black snakes. They were entering in thru the top between the rafters. So what I did was close all those areas off with either wood or hardware cloth, whichever was easiest to put up in each spot. This has stopped the snakes!

However, be aware that very young snakes can squeeze thru 1/4" hardware holes. I saw one doing it! To stop this, I doubled the wire along the base and up a bit.

 

You tired a 12 gauge yet?


Buy a couple peacocks let hem free range. I don't care for the noise but they will keep snakes at bay.

 

Yeah I wanted peacocks last year, but don't want them going to the crankies next door.
I do carry a pistol...but gotta see the sneak snake first!!
If I do any repairs on this coop, I guess I'll add more hardware cloth. This coop is pretty new, and nice and big, with three separate coops that can be opened and make one BIG one. Hubby did a really nice design on this one. But yeah..the dang snakes fit through anything...SOOOOO HATE THEM!! I also guess they can sneak in during the day when the pop doors are open to free range the chickens..IDK anymore. I go in with heebie jeebies, thinking one is hiding...UGHHH!!

 

I'd prefer the turkey's if that would work. Peacocks are more obnoxious than my brothers kids