These 2 were in the chicken coop. killed the chicken snake as it exited the laying box and the copperhead right after it crawled out of the coop. I saw it in the coop less than a foot from my foot for my first view of it. 33.5 inches is a big copperhead to me especially about 8 inches from the foot.

I can now strike "chicken farmer" off my list of things to try in my retirement. I've only killed one copperhead, and it was a baby compared to that.

Big copperhead. I remember years ago reaching in to get eggs and saw movement. 5 foot chicken snake. A buddy of mine got bit by one and he said it hurt like hell.

I can make you a hat band out of that copperhead if you still have it

Big copperhead!

That is what we always found around our chicken coop

Makes me wanna think twice about running chickens in the panhandle. Do rattlers eat eggs?

Good job getting rid of both!

Dead snake is good snake.

Big copperhead! I would tan that one for sure.

Snake haters are typically uneducated on them.

Dog got rattlesnake bit last Thursday and just went alert on a copperhead an hour ago. Not sure he got bit this time. I'm good with the non-venomous snakes, had a high drama hognose for entertainment a week and half ago.

Yeah, I had a Chocolate Lab that just could NOT leave a snake alone. Got bit 3 different times by copperheads.

Hognose snakes are so funny. Man will they put on a show........!

You know guys like you piss me off. I do not "hate" snakes. If I see one in the wild (which I have many many times) I let them go.

On the other hand if they are at my door step, on my back deck, in my barn, etc. where my wife and my family walk around (not to mention my dog) then I am taking them out - pretty brazen of you to tell people they are "uneducated" -

I don't think @Reloder28 meant to disparage anyone. Rather was just pointing out that not EVERY snake is venomous or a threat to anyone and that many folks are indeed 'ignorant' (perhaps a better word) or lack the ability to tell the difference between venomous and harmless. Certainly there are situations where it is proper to dispatch a snake rather than ignore or relocate it.

Some folks summarily kill every snake in close proximity to a dwelling, supposing it to be a threat.

I can appreciate that certain people have a phobia about snakes. I can say that with all honesty because while I am not afraid of snakes in the least.....SPIDERS give me the heebie-jebbies and I kill ALL that are anywhere around my house.

It could be rightfully said I am uneducated/ignorant of the role they play in the ecosystem and my unwillingness to accept that could be viewed as an unreasonable fear.

It simply is what it is... with me, but I would take no offense if anyone were to claim I was uneducated about them. I am. All I know about SPIDERS is that they are creepy. I admit it.

So instead of saying "uneducated" you think "ignorant" is more appropriate - you go "snake rangle" all the snakes you want - if that turns you on then go for it - but most folks with common sense are not going to let snakes of any kind be where they live - carry on

If it were not for the chickens and eggs one of those snakes would have been sage in our back yard. We like eggs not feeding snakes our food and scaring our chickens. The copperheads do not get a pass close to the house though might get one from me in the woods. The king snakes we have are welcome as are the garden and black racers. The one snake may very well be one that hung around the back before we got the chickens a short time a couple years ago, no harm no foul. Having 2 small dogs, enjoying our back yard at night and small kids next door well the poisonous ones do not get a pass.

end of the day it is up to each individual what to do with snakes around their home - so calling people ignorant or uneducated because they choose to not deal with them is ignorant in itself - you do with them what you want and I will do with them what I want - period

Quite reasonable. Same rule at my house. Venomous snakes around the house or close outbuildings are not tolerated. ALL non-venomous snakes get a pass regardless where they are found.

No...its two separate issues. No one is contesting one's 'right' to do as they wish with snakes around their house or elsewhere, provided the species is not protected (or not an immediate threat if they are protected).

The 'ignorance' issue is a valid conversation IMO....in that making informed decisions is generally a good thing in life and being 'educated' not altogether a bad thing either.

Some folks have simply been raised to think that 'Snake=Bad' and kill any and all encountered. A person more familiar with snakes and their place in the ecosystem is less likely to do so.

This doesn't mean that people who summarily kill snakes are stupid/unintelligent (different from ignorant). But sadly... many take offense when someone suggests they might be better informed.

Then you have those who genuinely possess a phobia or unreasonable fear of ALL snakes. These I understand....as I personally really, really don't like spiders despite knowing they too play a part in nature and for the most part are harmless.

So again....I submit one's 'right' to do something doesn't mean it is always the most appropriate thing to do. We see this in life over and over.

Flint Knapper,
You are correct.

Agree with Flintknapper. Snakes are part of the ecosystem. They neither bother or scare me. I learned a long time ago to watch where I go in the outdoors. Unless it’s a poisonous snake around the house I leave them alone. And, even then, I usually relocate poisonous ones.

More than once I’ve stopped and forced a rattler to get on across the road.

However, my wife and I hold opposing viewpoints. She was raised in the city.