Duck killed inside pen at night- what killed her?

[Bruthabuz]

Culprit identified.
View attachment 3681919
And he got in, and out, last night and killed poor Sophie, one of my two buff orpingtons.
So he did not go through the fencing. He might have gotten through a gap in the gate last time, but definitely not this time.

This leaves only the netting.
I found this hole at the very top; it was not there last time. I figure he just keeps searching for angles and pulled on (can they chew through it) the netting to allow himself an opening.
View attachment 3681934

So while the ducks will no longer be in that pen until this problem is rectified, i must refortify now that I know who it is.
I might have to put them all back in the chicken coop until i rectify this, since both pens use the same netting up top. The new pen has more and thicker, but it seems this racoon has the ability to work that problem out.

- Ordering another roll of the good hardware cloth. Do i basically reinforce the netting the whole way with hardware cloth?
- going electric. Has to be solar or most likely battery (or both eventually). Never done this. There is pre-made electric netting but seems a little flimsy. Tractor supply has spools of wire and all the equipment. I figure ill wire the entire two pens with one at ground level and encircle them every few feet and go all the way up to the very top. I just have to make sure the wire isn't touching the hardware cloth i would think? Don't want to fry a duck.
- baiting the large havahart trap every night. Best thing would be to catch this perpetrator
- two nights ago, i put out a bunch of cayenne pepper & peppermint oil. The racoon was not caught on camera that night. But it rained some during the day yesterday. I wonder if that get had been effective but washed away?
- will randomly get up and spotlight the pen. The problem is the angle leaves some neighbors in my line of sight for taking a shot. I would have to somehow get behind it and have my property and most importantly the pond behind him to make sure a miss or ricochet wouldn't endanger anyone. Using a 9mm rifle

Wow! That is some persistent, hard-core raccoon. I feel for you. I just have a 2-inch x 4-inch x 4-foot metal fence all around my coops. Everything above that is just nylon bird netting similar to what you have. And I've never had a predator try to enter that way.
If I were you, I'd definitely go with metal 1/2-inch hardware cloth at the very least and hope he is not able to chew through that.
If all else fails, a 9mm ought to take care of it. When I go out at night, I carry my .22 semi-auto pistol. The only other problem I had was one night when I had to kill a skunk after I found eggs were being eaten (for obvious reasons, I didn't want to trap him).

 

[Stephine]

Be super careful when you are near that latrine or cleaning it up, think full hazmat outfit, mask gloves glasses. Raccoons can have eggs of a worm in their feces that can be transmitted to humans with disastrous consequences. Please take care!

 

[Bruthabuz]

Be super careful when you are near that latrine or cleaning it up, think full hazmat outfit, mask gloves glasses. Raccoons can have eggs of a worm in their feces that can be transmitted to humans with disastrous consequences. Please take care!

Good advice! I remember years ago there was a TV show called "Monsters Inside Me" that dealt with all kinds of parasitic worms and other diseases that can be transmitted through animal feces. The results were devastating, with long periods of recovery, if at all. I seem to remember raccoons being one of them.

 

[GirlsHuntToo]

I did not want to go that route with my bobcat, but he didn't leave me much choice. He'd already killed several of my chickens over a few days and I didn't have many left. Then he was after what few ducks I had. I didn't have a trap that size and I didn't think he would be stupid enough to go into one anyway. Fortunately for me, I was able to hide myself in a position where I knew there are no houses or buildings for several hundred or thousands of yards, maybe even a mile or two beyond my coops. Plus, there is a very tall rockpile beyond the empty field. I just got up very early the next morning and waited. Sure enough, he came back for another easy meal. I got him with my scoped .30-06. I truly do wish I had been able to catch and either release him far away or relinquish him to the authorities. But there just wasn't time for it. BTW, I also have very graphic pictures of my chickens, but prefer not to show them. They are similar to those from Launchpad.

I have had 19 chickens killed by a pair of two bobcats. The love to come into the yard and fight with other for a while - practically scaring the chickens half to death. I have been looking to do the same thing. But he hasn't gotten a chicken in about 3 weeks or so, hopefully he knows I am after him and will leave.

 

[Launchpad]

Be super careful when you are near that latrine or cleaning it up, think full hazmat outfit, mask gloves glasses. Raccoons can have eggs of a worm in their feces that can be transmitted to humans with disastrous consequences. Please take care!

I didn't mask (will from now on) used gloves and a shovel
I knew it was bad, but after reading your post and looking into it i will definitely mask from here on out

 

[Launchpad]

Wow! That is some persistent, hard-core raccoon. I feel for you. I just have a 2-inch x 4-inch x 4-foot metal fence all around my coops. Everything above that is just nylon bird netting similar to what you have. And I've never had a predator try to enter that way.
If I were you, I'd definitely go with metal 1/2-inch hardware cloth at the very least and hope he is not able to chew through that.
If all else fails, a 9mm ought to take care of it. When I go out at night, I carry my .22 semi-auto pistol. The only other problem I had was one night when I had to kill a skunk after I found eggs were being eaten (for obvious reasons, I didn't want to trap him).

Wow! That is some persistent, hard-core raccoon. I feel for you. I just have a 2-inch x 4-inch x 4-foot metal fence all around my coops. Everything above that is just nylon bird netting similar to what you have. And I've never had a predator try to enter that way.
If I were you, I'd definitely go with metal 1/2-inch hardware cloth at the very least and hope he is not able to chew through that.
If all else fails, a 9mm ought to take care of it. When I go out at night, I carry my .22 semi-auto pistol. The only other problem I had was one night when I had to kill a skunk after I found eggs were being eaten (for obvious reasons, I didn't want to trap him).

I figure he has been trying and trying for days and eventually found a new way in.
If i can get a spotlight on a remote i will try and go around the long way one night when he is there and spotlight him to get a clean shot. I need to figure out the app on my game camera to send me a picture as soon as is taken so I'll know

 

[Fluffy_Moth_With_Silkies]

I figure he has been trying and trying for days and eventually found a new way in.
If i can get a spotlight on a remote i will try and go around the long way one night when he is there and spotlight him to get a clean shot. I need to figure out the app on my game camera to send me a picture as soon as is taken so I'll know

Yeah, that's a good idea.

 

[Launchpad]

So sardines were very effective

 

[MinnPeeps]

They look so innocent when they are trapped. But then you remember the pain they caused you. Another great choice of bait is marshmallows. BTW, don't think he worked alone. I would set the trap again for a few more nights. Just in case.

 

[Launchpad]

They look so innocent when they are trapped. But then you remember the pain they caused you. Another great choice of bait is marshmallows. BTW, don't think he worked alone. I would set the trap again for a few more nights. Just in case.

I am working on the assumption there are more so until the pen is raccoon proof no one is living in it. I am going to reset the trap tomorrow and set my game camera up as well to see if anyone else comes around. This one canme around without the ducks there but definitely liked the cat food and sardines so we will see if anyone else is hunting there