Hello,
I have made every effort to predator proof my pen and alas something took one of my ducks last night, I AM SURE OF IT!!!
The scenario:
A large 8x8 coop with tall perches but my ducks sleep on the floor. I have a feeder and a waterier installed in the coop space.
I have noticed that my feed bucket and feeder are being eaten by something at night. I fill up the food in both places and by the time morning comes, I have a 7 lb. feeder half full. I know that their is no way my birds are eaten that much food in one night, anyways, they get to free range as soon as the sun comes up and are not in their coop until 930PM. Something is also getting into my food bucket at night!
Well this has been going on for a week now and I kinda of ignored it until.................I woke up this morning and my Indian Runner duck is missing! I looked everywhere for her but have concluded that a predator has taken her off into the woods. Funny thing is that all my other 25 birds are just fine including my chickens.
He/it took only one bird and left the others? This seems confusing and un pattern like. I figured if a predator was going after my birds and feed, he or she would of did alot more damage than taken just ONE bird?
I suspect it is a raccoon and plan on installing a game camera at night to catch what's going on i my coop at night!
Any ideas on what it is or why it would attack this way? Why would it for over week just be concerned about my feed and then decide to dine on my birds who occupy the same space as the food, he's had the opportunity before to kill and hasn't? I AM CONFUSED!!!
What can it be and why is it killing this way?
I have made every effort to predator proof my pen and alas something took one of my ducks last night, I AM SURE OF IT!!!
The scenario:
A large 8x8 coop with tall perches but my ducks sleep on the floor. I have a feeder and a waterier installed in the coop space.
I have noticed that my feed bucket and feeder are being eaten by something at night. I fill up the food in both places and by the time morning comes, I have a 7 lb. feeder half full. I know that their is no way my birds are eaten that much food in one night, anyways, they get to free range as soon as the sun comes up and are not in their coop until 930PM. Something is also getting into my food bucket at night!
Well this has been going on for a week now and I kinda of ignored it until.................I woke up this morning and my Indian Runner duck is missing! I looked everywhere for her but have concluded that a predator has taken her off into the woods. Funny thing is that all my other 25 birds are just fine including my chickens.
He/it took only one bird and left the others? This seems confusing and un pattern like. I figured if a predator was going after my birds and feed, he or she would of did alot more damage than taken just ONE bird?
I suspect it is a raccoon and plan on installing a game camera at night to catch what's going on i my coop at night!
Any ideas on what it is or why it would attack this way? Why would it for over week just be concerned about my feed and then decide to dine on my birds who occupy the same space as the food, he's had the opportunity before to kill and hasn't? I AM CONFUSED!!!
What can it be and why is it killing this way?
