About a month ago, I was checking the Chicken coop's nesting box area around dark.  To my surprise, I saw (with help from my flashlight) a black tubular thing in there and 3 chickes were standing as if frozen.  Using a stick, I poked the tube since I had a pretty good idea of what it was but not how big it was.  Since a flashlight takes one hand and a shotgun/hoe usually requires 2, I used my free hand to text my neighbor who helped me with copperhead Snake buddy earlier this year.  I hated to do it but knew that if this snake was not accounted for/killed, I would have permanent Indiana Jones' type nightmares.  While I am a snake non-hater and appreciate the value black snakes bring as in killing rodents, etc, this sucker turned out to be big enough to have killed 2 of my smaller chickens and explains where most of my chickens eggs had been going.
Long story short, the snake got 'charmed', I slept great, and kitty is now the mouser with help from, yes, the chickens!  After the snake was charmed and we saw/measured it, it looked like it had swallowed bubble wrap with all the eggs it had inside.  Also, it measured 6foot, 4 inches.  Anyone familiar with the half-body length strike rule?  I am 5foot 1inch.  That was so not happening.  I slept great, but still don't like killing snakes but hey, my critters come first.  Guess I have a cat now...