Help identify predator?

[Prosperousity]

I looked at forums about how to identify certain predators but with everything I saw and it becoming more difficult with all that actually happened.

*Expained in detail! Warning!*

So when we went to check on our ducks, we only had 3 out of 5, two were missing and there was no feathers or anything in the pen/pasture that was really a clue to what happened. We went behind the pen/pasture and found our two missing ducks.

There was a feather pile a few feet away, and the carcass completely raw and eaten, I don't remember seeing any rib bones either, just the wings and feet left nothing else! We found her head in the pen not by the fence either torn into a bit and her beak broken apart into pieces.

Then we found my second duck, the one I had raised and even went jogging with at one point. Barley eaten, attacked by the neck and everything there except her eyes.

We are kinda thinking that it was an owl they were found under the trees as well, we have a lot of them in the area and in our yard but we also have fox's, coyotes, cougars, and very rarely raccoon and have never seen one near our house, only on the street when ran over/hit by cars. We also set up a trap but its been a week almost now and have not caught anything. No ones been attacked since but they got a new pen afterwards with a wired top instead of a pasture. We are also assuming this happened at night, probably 12-5AM but we didn't hear anything either. Nothing dug under or broke the fencing either.

We also have a creek that runs through our yard, and raccoon are known for cleaning their food in the water i guess, so my mom is not so sure about a raccoon attacking them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I looked at forums about how to identify certain predators but with everything I saw and it becoming more difficult with all that actually happened.

*Expained in detail! Warning!*

So when we went to check on our ducks, we only had 3 out of 5, two were missing and there was no feathers or anything in the pen/pasture that was really a clue to what happened. We went behind the pen/pasture and found our two missing ducks.

There was a feather pile a few feet away, and the carcass completely raw and eaten, I don't remember seeing any rib bones either, just the wings and feet left nothing else! We found her head in the pen not by the fence either torn into a bit and her beak broken apart into pieces.

Then we found my second duck, the one I had raised and even went jogging with at one point. Barley eaten, attacked by the neck and everything there except her eyes.

We are kinda thinking that it was an owl they were found under the trees as well, we have a lot of them in the area and in our yard but we also have fox's, coyotes, cougars, and very rarely raccoon and have never seen one near our house, only on the street when ran over/hit by cars. We also set up a trap but its been a week almost now and have not caught anything. No ones been attacked since but they got a new pen afterwards with a wired top instead of a pasture. We are also assuming this happened at night, probably 12-5AM but we didn't hear anything either. Nothing dug under or broke the fencing either.

We also have a creek that runs through our yard, and raccoon are known for cleaning their food in the water i guess, so my mom is not so sure about a raccoon attacking them.

So they were outside over night with out a covered run or house to be lock up in? Could have been any of the preds you named. also mink and weasel can be added to the list.
http://www.welphatchery.com/predator_diagnosis?mobile=1
Maybe this will help you determine

 

[Prosperousity]

So they were outside over night with out a covered run or house to be lock up in? Could have been any of the preds you named. also mink and weasel can be added to the list.
http://www.welphatchery.com/predator_diagnosis?mobile=1
Maybe this will help you determine 

They were in a pasture overnight and had a house that the other ducks had gone into and still in when we came outside. They are also by our chickens but they actually go inside in a coop off the ground and they were okay too. My parents also have dogs that didnt hear anything apparently cause they did not bark that night and they bark at almost anything or any sound and chase it if they can... :/

 

[Miss Lydia]

They were in a pasture overnight and had a house that the other ducks had gone into and still in when we came outside. They are also by our chickens but they actually go inside in a coop off the ground and they were okay too. My parents also have dogs that didnt hear anything apparently cause they did not bark that night and they bark at almost anything or any sound and chase it if they can...

Some preds are so equipped with stealth they could probably walk right in front of some of our dogs.

Leaving a house open with out closed door to keep preds out is asking for trouble ducks inside have no way to protect themselves and are sitting ducks. Eventually the ones inside will be killed also, just a fact of life. The best way to protect our flocks is to lock them up every evening before dark in a house of their own. Even a coop off the ground offers no protection since most predators can climb or jump.