Blue Racers

Last year, we had a hognose snake stuck in our garden fence, which the neighbor freed for us.  Sunday, we found another hognose stuck in the fence, and Husband and I freed it (cause we're so tough.)  Tuesday night the neighbor texted me they came over to play, we weren't home, and there's a huge black snake by the chicken coop!   We went to check it out and found a Blue Racer dead caught in the fence.  It had been dead for a couple days.  Husband googled it and they are hard to find in Michigan, not rare but secretive and sneaky.  They eat small birds (like chickens?,) rodents, and reptiles.  This one was probably about 3 feet long.  Oldest and Youngest were pretty impressed with it and how they could touch it.

My little chickies are loving being outside every day, and Wednesday morning I went to put them in the garden and was moving their food and water and what is under their water jug?  A huge Blue Racer, at least 4 feet long.  Stuck in the fence.  They are definitely after my chickens.  This one was still alive so we carefully freed it.  It was weak and not aggressive, like they are supposed to be.   And it definitely didn't do any racing when it was free.  So, we have seen two Blue Racers in two days. They are beautiful snakes, I'm worried about them being aggressive to the girls, but I have warned them to stay away if they see them.   I'm also worried about them eating the chicks, but they are growing fast and the deer fences are stopping more than deer!

The garden is growing so good this year!  My double fence is working perfectly and the weather has been amazing.  Rainy every 3 days and sunny and mild the rest of the days.  The beans are growing good, squashes are great, and even the broccoli is thriving. My chickens are pooping in the dirt, and eating a couple leaves, but mostly bugs on the leaves.  They're such good chickens.