Closeacademy Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 We bought 4 baby Rouen ducks who were about 2-3 weeks old on Friday. We set them up in an area with food, water, a tiny "pond" and chicken wire fencing while we worked on getting together a better fence. They were just starting to trust us. We woke up this morning around 7 and they were not in their pen. There was no sign of forced entry (the fence was in tack), no pile of feather, no signs of struggle. I did find one of the larger ducks in the neighbor's yard, her neck looked like it had been broken and her tummy was still warm. We never saw sign or any of the other ducks. Other facts: We do know that there is a possum that has been frequenting our yard. I did not smell any sort of skunky smell so I figure it wasn't a fox. There was no mess. We don't have kids in the neighborhood but the damage probably happened between 4 and 6 a.m. Sometimes stray cats or dogs do come through. What happened to my ducks? Any theories? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Cats maybe? A lot of cats will kill small animals without eating them, but will take them home as "presents" for their human. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Owl? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Owl or raccoon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Was the fence covered over top? If not, raccoon or opossum or even a cat are quite likely. I'm sorry. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 I'd guess maybe a cat. I'm so sorry. :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 I'd blame my dog but I'm certain she was asleep on my bed all night long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 We get raccoons and opossums even in the heart of suburbia, and they do a number on DD's outdoor frog ponds (which, admittedly, is a natural threat, but it really bothers her when she sees raccoon tracks and it matches the sudden disappearance of a good sized adult frog or two), and I know several people who have lost outdoor turtles/tortoises to them as well. I can't imagine they wouldn't eat a duckling. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Raccoon. Some predators are of the "kill what you need" variety. Raccoons kill 'em all. Bill 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Closeacademy Posted July 6, 2015 Author Share Posted July 6, 2015 So you all think that they killed and ate 3 of them elsewhere and dropped the 4th one along the way? Because we never found bodies or feathers or anything in our yard or any of our neighbors except for that one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptor_dad Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 We live in a quite urban area and occasionally find either eviscerated pigeons or just a pile of feathers in our yard under a large tree... the nearest pigeons are 2-4 blocks away. I assume it is the Cooper's Hawks who live in the park and along the greenway. It could be the red tails who live on the edge of the interstate... it certainly isn't the Peregrines who live downtown and on the hospital towers or the bald eagles who live along the river... Baby ducks would be prime prey for some smaller hawk like the Cooper's hawk... and they could easily carry away all the evidence, especially in nesting season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 So you all think that they killed and ate 3 of them elsewhere and dropped the 4th one along the way? Because we never found bodies or feathers or anything in our yard or any of our neighbors except for that one. Oh yes. If you have coons and possum you also likely have foxes. A vixen could grab a duck by the neck, take it to a litter of kits, and come right back til the pen's empty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 Coons will drag off prey sometimes and finish it off elsewhere. They kill for sport, rotten beasts, so it is not necessarily always messy, nor is it quick which makes me hate them an awful lot, LOL!. Foxes will drag prey back to the kits, and while owls tend to behead larger ducks and chickens, will carry off little ones as do hawks. I love ducklings. We've raised several show bantums like Australian Spotteds, Calls, etc. We gave up because we just don't have time to sit out there with guns every single night waiting to dispatch predators, and we seemed to be unable to make predator proof runs that still allowed our ducks to have plenty of fresh air, water to puddle in, and grass for forage. We didn't want to raise them, like a lot of breeders, on concrete, fenced floors inside barns. I will say that the later method is pretty good at keeping out the rabble rousing rotten raccoons and the other members of their gang of mischief. I am very sorry this happened. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Closeacademy Posted July 7, 2015 Author Share Posted July 7, 2015 Foxes make sense. We'll have to try again sometime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrookValley. Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 OP, I agree it was probably a raccoon--could have been a fox, too, but I'd sounds more like a coon. I'm sorry. I have call ducks. They live in above ground pens with one side enclosed for shelter (stained plywood floor) and the other half open. The open side is completely enclosed in hardware cloth (floor also wire) and has a mortar tub with drain sunk into the floor. No grass this way, but it's safe, lets them swim, and is easy to keep clean. Coons will drag off prey sometimes and finish it off elsewhere. They kill for sport, rotten beasts, so it is not necessarily always messy, nor is it quick which makes me hate them an awful lot, LOL!. Foxes will drag prey back to the kits, and while owls tend to behead larger ducks and chickens, will carry off little ones as do hawks. I love ducklings. We've raised several show bantums like Australian Spotteds, Calls, etc. We gave up because we just don't have time to sit out there with guns every single night waiting to dispatch predators, and we seemed to be unable to make predator proof runs that still allowed our ducks to have plenty of fresh air, water to puddle in, and grass for forage. We didn't want to raise them, like a lot of breeders, on concrete, fenced floors inside barns. I will say that the later method is pretty good at keeping out the rabble rousing rotten raccoons and the other members of their gang of mischief. I am very sorry this happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomsintheGarden Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 I'm so sorry about your ducklings! That is heartbreaking, especially to the children. We've raised a lot of chickens and ducks over the years, and are taking a break right now because we are tired of dealing with death. We've had birds killed by skunks, foxes, raccoons, neighborhood dogs, and hawks. Now we have coyotes in our area. I give up unless we can figure out a Fort Knox type pen for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 :( 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 Crows will fly off with birds and animals. I saw one flying with a live baby rabbit once...I'm still traumatized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 I'd go with bird of prey and one got dropped along the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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