We keep Losing ducks, help!

[Silkiesarefluffydinos]

It started about a week or two ago. We had put the ducks up around 8, and noticed thathat instead of 7, we had 6 ducks. We are now down to 4 ducks, as of Last night. all of our ducks are Pekin ducks, except for one of our males who is a Pekin/Indian runner and is gray and white. So far all we have lost are hens but no drakes, and it only happens if they aren't put up at or just after dusk. There is never any evidence left behind. No body or even pile of feathers, just a missing duck. By dusk all or most of the chickens are up so we haven't lost any chickens yet, only female ducks. We live in North Carolina and Raccoons, possums, foxes, and Cototes are very common. We have even found the remains of a bobcat, but that's the only evidence we've found of bobcats aroud. We might see if we can get a live trap out there and see if we can catchat anything. Any help figuring out what could be getting our ducks would be extremely useful!

 

[The Lazy L]

Invest and install a few trail-cams. Then you will know what or who is taking your ducks. Otherwise we are just guessing.

 

[AltonaAcres]

Trail cams are a great idea. They have helped us a lot. we've had two separate batches of ducks, and they are like predator magnets. Both batches were no longer within a week of getting them. Can your ducks fly, or are they clipped?

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

Since pekins can’t fly, are you locking them up at night.

 

[Silkiesarefluffydinos]

Alright, I'll see if we can get a few trail cams set up! No, they cannot fly and yes we have been putting them up. They have only been disappearing if they are put up after dusk i check on them frequently during the day and the preadator always strikes after all the chickebs hage gone to roost, so we havent lost any chickens yet. We've been trying to put them up around dusk, but were out until about 9 last night, and the predator took another duck.

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

Alright, I'll see if we can get a few trail cams set up! No, they cannot fly and yes we have been putting them up. They have only been disappearing if they are put up after dusk i check on them frequently during the day and the preadator always strikes after all the chickebs hage gone to roost, so we havent lost any chickens yet. We've been trying to put them up around dusk, but were out until about 9 last night, and the predator took another duck.

Large predator probably then. Only speculation but I am leaning toward coyote since it is at dusk, no trace is left, and it’s the winter when food is scarce.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Sounds like maybe an owl?

Sorry for your loss.

 

[llombardo]

The first thing I would do is lick them up an hour earlier, then watch and see if anything is lurking about.

Are they free range or in a pen?

 

[Silkiesarefluffydinos]

They are free range. Yesterday we put them up at 6 bstore dusk because we needed to go somewhere and wouldn't be back until after dusk. I don't think it's an owl because the hens weigh about 8-9lbs, and there is nevee any evidence left over. Typically when I've seen chickens killed by an owl the body is still there. Could be a coyote.

 

[Skipper81]

Bobcat jumped my fence last fall right at dusk and took my duck I found remains in the woods 50 yards away
Lock them up before dusk or you’ll lose more