Wednesday, July 18, 2012

So That's Why............!

Warning! If you don't like snakes or pictures of snakes, do not read any further. Oh, and there is a picture with a little bit of blood in it. Just warning you.

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 Okay, I guess if you don't mind looking of snakes, you are still reading. Now I'll tell you my story. For the last 2 months we haven't been getting any eggs. I thought it was because we changed feed, or because it's been hot, or because we had new chickens in the hen house and I figured they were just laying somewhere else and I wasn't finding them. We free range here folks. (for now) So imagine my surprise when Hubby told me that he killed a big black snake in our hen house. Aahaaa!!!! So that's why we haven't been getting any eggs. Here is a picture of the culprit.



See that bulge? That's were all my eggs have been going.




Now I'm not one to be afraid of snakes so I felt that bulge to make sure it was one of our eggs. You know, just to see. lol. Anyway imagine my surprise when is started to rattle! What?! Could he have eaten a rattle snake? I've always heard that they would. I started to feel some more. It rattled again. I had to figure out what was going on! So, me being me, squeezed that snake until................ this popped out.





This is the top part of a baby rattler. Hubby's grandpa used it in our hen house to encourage the hens to lay eggs in the nests. That poor snake thought it was a real egg, so he ate it. Imagine my surprise when it came out. So the big question of the day is this......Does that make him a "rattle" snake? hehehehee

On another topic, did you notice that we hung that snake on a fence? There is an old wives tale that said if you hang a snake on a fence or a tree, it will rain. Well, we did get rain. But, it was only a trace. I think I need more snakes. LOL!  Do you know of any old wives tales about making it rain? We need all the help we can get.

So until next time,

 Small Farm Girl, rain maker.

13 comments:

TxFarmhouse said...

That was certainly an entertaining post! Glad you found the culprit!

Teri said...

okay ...eeeeeeeek ... for real? You had me at squeezed it!
I hate the thought of stacking wood, every year with the wood comes rattle snakes!
The only snake I am totaly scared to death of!
We got rain here for about 30 mins! may be headed your way.

Carolyn said...

Wow! What an "interesting" find :)

If the snake thing worked for you for rain, I think I'm going snake hunting right now!!

KatB said...

Lol on the "rattle"snake - how weird! And as far as rain goes, you can step on any daddy longleg spiders you see (but poor spiders), or make sure you have no rosaries left hanging on your clothesline by accident. Those are supposed to keep the rain away long enough so your laundry can dry, but I always wondered what would happen if you forgot to take it back down...

Susan said...

What a fascinating post! I don't mind snakes (they just always startle me), but I would mind it if they were eating my eggs! Rattlesnake??? LOL!!!

Candy C. said...

That is a BIG black snake! Yikes! Pretty funny about him eating the baby rattle! Hope you start getting eggs now! :)

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Now that i the funniest snake story I have ever heard in my life!! lol! lol!

Greedy snake!

~Lisa

Anonymous said...

we dont have chickens so we keep the black snake happy and let him stay under the big shed if he wants....he helps keep down the mouse population and being in the country and near forest land, we have plenty of mice. funny about the snake swallowing the baby rattle...

SweetLand Farm said...

You lost me at the word snake, thanks for the warning!
Hope whatever the problem was it's now fixed!

Sunnybrook Farm said...

As soon as I saw the snake on the fence I knew what you were doing! I don't think it works though.
I found that the deer/bird netting that they sell in places like lowes, will not only keep snakes out but they get hung in the netting if it is left doubled over on the ground. The snake gets hung in the net and can not be removed in once piece. I like black snakes but they were all going for eggs instead of catching mice.

Tonia said...

LOL @ rattlesnake!!!... Thats great!

CrankyPuppy said...

Hey, SFG. I've been reading and giggling at your blog for awhile now. You crack me up!

So I wanted to let you know that I've nominated your blog for the One Lovely Blog and the Very Inspiring Blogger Awards! You can see my post about it over at http://crankypuppy.blogspot.com/2012/07/blog-awards.html. I hope you'll accept!

John Going Gently said...

and I worry about the odd magpie stealing my eggs