I have a good population of Black Rat Snakes (Elaphe obsoleta) living in my area. During breeding season, late May and early June, it is common to see several at once and I have seen as many as eight 4 to 5 foot specimens from one point. I suspect my geographical location puts me in a travel lane bottleneck. I have always enjoyed the rat snakes, both as docile pets in my younger days, and now as interesting, beneficial neighbors, keeping the vermin populations down.

Just lately, though, last summer and now this summer, they have found my wife's henhouse. One guy had at least five "jumbo" sized chicken eggs in him when I removed him from the nest box.

Like most rat snakes, they are quite tame, and I am very comfortable handling them barehanded. I have not been bitten while removing them and walking with them to release several hundred yards away, across a small stream. This seemed to work pretty well last year, and, moving at least a dozen snakes away, I never carried the same snake out twice.

Unfortunately, they seem to have found an easy path home, since in the last few days, I've moved two snakes I recognise as having been moved before this year. Most of them have old injuries that help identify them, as well as sexual differentiation, so I know pretty much who is who by now.

I don't want to harm the snakes, and wouldn't even mind them helping themselves to a "few" eggs, but they are able to eat at least five or six eggs at a time (they feel like a sock full of broken glass) and we only have ten chickens, and likely at least that many snakes at the moment. Last week, we have several "one egg days", when most are "seven egg days".

I hate to take them far, since this area is quite populated and there are few areas they might live unmolested, even if they don't get mashed on the road trying to get home.

My wife is furious, not only with the thefts and my inability to take decisive action to date, but the overall "sneakiness" of the snakes - one was buried under the chips in the nest box, waiting for the next meal delivery.

Neither of us really mind their presence, but do need to keep them out of the henhouse. The building is well sealed, with the snakes using the chicken door during the day when it's open for the chickens. I cannot conveniently or affordably snake-proof the chicken yard, too. Anyone having had snakes knows how tough they are to keep "in", let alone "out".

Something must be done soon, before the wife decides to start shooting them. She spent an hour trying to "push one out with the broomhandle" last week. I'm sure anyone who has ever endeavored to push a snake will understand her frustration.

Ideally, I could have the snakes and eggs both, with no bloodshed or evictions (like mine).

I was thinking along the lines of some sort of repellant, maybe mothballs. Whatever I used would have to be safe for the general wildlife, as well as safe around the chickens and eggs intended for human consumption. Being weather resistant would be a plus, too.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance,