Tragedy on my farm today :(

I was so happy 4 days ago, we had 20 ducklings hatch and looking healthy and everything going so well. This morning I went to check the waterers and found ALL the ducklings dead and laying in pieces. The mother was injured but she will probably survive. We have had such a tough year. This winter a bobcat killed six of our adults, so when they started sitting on nests, I was happy to get the numbers back up. I had a total of 4 nests this year. The first group (5) has survived with no predators, and are now adults. The second group, I lost two to a hawk and 1 to a coon, so now we have 6 left that are almost adults. These last two groups hatched at the same time, we started with 20 and only have 4 left that we brought to the house to be "people" ducks, lucky for them or they would've died with the others. I am so sad and just tired. I think this last attack was a mink because it got into the pen and there are no large obvious openings, only a small one where it busted the hardcloth wire away from the wood. I have raised many birds in this pen, from chickens and turkeys to ducks and this is the first time this has ever happened inside this pen, I thought it was safe. When some were snatched through the chicken wire pens, we thought this other pen was the best place to keep them. I just can't believe it killed them all. I've been raising birds for about 10 years and I've never lost this many at once.

I am going to build several "bunker" type houses to keep my birds in the winter when the pond is frozen. They were always safe on the pond before but this year a snapping turtle about bit the leg off one of my adult males, he is still going but the leg is dead and he doesn't use it at all. These poor birds literally have predators coming from each and every angle. I am new to BYC and thought you all would understand my pain.

I am so sorry for your loss. I lost two 7 week old chicks to a hawk this morning I can't imagine going through what you have this past year!

Sending out good vibes for you and your birds........

Welcome to BYC - so sorry that it is under these circumstances.

Freegrazer sorry for your loss. Losing 20 birds in one shot has to be a heart breaker. Its tough enough to lose one. Good luck with your bunker houses. Hopefully things will work out for you. . Don't give up, stick with it. We all live and learn.

Very sorry for your losses. I raise ducks too, and every loss is tough to deal with.

Sorry for your losses..That is very heartbreaking..I hope the bunker houses do the trick..

Oh how awful! I lost my favorite egg layer and adult hen duck and her two 7 week old ducklings to a fox attack in May. I too, thought I had a very secure pen after almost two years without a loss in the pen. I rebuilt my pen and now lock them in every night in the duck house. I felt so sad for days but luckily I found someone who had ducklings to spare to heal my heart and my flock of survivors. I so enjoy the company of my ducks! I try to keep them as safe as I can against so many predators! I hope you can enjoy your survivors and feel better soon!