I used to use phrases like “fox in the hen house” as a metaphor, but owning chickens means we get to use them for real. The benefits just keep on coming…
David and Tommy were out collecting the eggs and fortunately, David saw the 4 foot black snake curled up in the nest before Tommy stuck his hand in to get the eggs.
Not that the snake was interested in anything except for digesting the 4 eggs he had swallowed so far. Good thing we’re getting about 18 eggs a day now so being forced to share, wasn’t too big of a deal. David, being far braver than me, picked the snake right up so we could all take a good look.
You can kind of see the bulge of one of the eggs about half way, near David’s elbow. The original plan was to shuffle him off his mortal coil, but we thought better of it and decided we’d rather have black snakes out in the woods eating mice and such. David took him about a 1/4 of a mile a way, down into the ravine and let him go. If he comes back, we’ll just take him farther away next time. Tommy is unfazed by it and the hens seem fine, so egg collection continues!
Amazing photos! I’m so glad you documented this. I was very intrigued.
That snake is HUGE. That guy holding it is SO BRAVE. And STRONG!
Ohh. Crap.
I. Hate. Snakes.
City 1, Country 0.
If it was actually in the nesting box, at least it wasn’t a low-down snake. Although, even in the face of that prospect, I’m sure that BRAVE and STRONG man would have remained undaunted.
Wild Kingdom here we come ! your home is never boring.
wow ! the snake handler gets a Universal Medal of Bravery for exceptional courage, heroism and valor ! i’m sure he was risking his own life to protect his family who could have been in possible imminent danger. What a STRONG and BRAVE man !!