It was a Dark and Stormy Night......

Thanks to Hurricane Isaac,  rain has been steadily falling for a few days along the coast and it does not look to be stopping any time soon.  Earlier this evening, Jeff had moved some of our younger hens in with the older flock.  Since they had not gone into the coop before dark, after dinner he ventured out into the rain, thunder and lightning to make sure everyone was cooped up and the door shut to keep out the wet.   Armed with only a lighter ( who needs a proper light in a chicken coop at night in a thunderstorm?)  he stepped inside the coop and bent down to make sure the new girls were no longer huddled outside by the door. As the flame sputtered to life in his right hand, something sleek, long and fast slithered past his left.  " Babe!  We got a snake in the chicken coop!!", I heard him yell.  Now, Keep in mind it is raining, there is constant thunder and lightning- However, myself, Jeff and our 15 yr old son jumped into action, donning important safety gear ( flip flops) and grabbing essential equipment ( smart phones for the flashlight app and camera and umbrella) to fight the -assumed poisonous until proven otherwise- deadly intruder. 

Once at the coop, armed with my flashlight app and Jeff with his real flashlight we leaned in the door carefully keeping an eye on the snake as it climbed ( yes climbed) up over the top of an enclosed nest box and tried to reach the roost where the chickens were.  As we are looking we are rather calmly ( I think) discussing the shape of the snakes head and trying to discover what kind it actually is.  Our first thought was that it was probably a rat snake, but it chose that particular time to climb its 5 foot plus body down the nest box and head for the door.  Jeff made a valiant effort  to stop it before it got past, but it slipped by.  Dashing around to the side where he saw it headed we waited in united ambush ( Me, smart phone in hand , Our son Allen armed with an ax and Jeff with the shovel.   It wasn't more than a few seconds before the beady eyed head emerged followed by a rapidly moving body right towards our position. 

Jeff had seen a newly hatched chick the day before that had mysteriously disappeared...

Now the snake had returned looking to fill it's belly again.  Unfortunately it had the worst possible timing.  When it's dark, raining, and there is thunder and lightning this family tends to use the shovel first and ask questions later.   

Not a good night to be a yellow rat snake in a chicken coop...