All of my ducks were killed last night!

[dumb_cluck]

I'm starting to think mink or weasel. The more I read about them, grossly describes the carnage I saw. I still feel so bad for those poor ducks getting tortured like that.

My appearance in the morning for feed time most likely broke up the attack and saved the chickens.

I went down this morning to feed the horses and it is so quiet and gloomy. The horses are not awful happy either. I can still "hear" my guys quacking up a storm when I announce: "mornin campers!" Geez, now I gotta go cry again.......sorry......

 

[BlackBrookPoultry]

This is the only one I found alive in the house when the mink attacked. He couldn't stand. I had to put him in my bathtub for a day and just let him float. I assume he lost a lot of blood. I also force fed him for a couple days. I was so grateful he made it and have since bought him some new friends. I did have one little hen also escape from a cage unharmed. I spent about $900 on materials to build a new predator-proof house and haven't had a problem so far. I may start setting up traps. Maybe I could get a pair of mink gloves out of the deal, or a hat. Hopefully there's not enough for a coat!

Now that I think about it, when I was a kid we had a raccoon attacking our ducks. It would go for the neck and then leave them in the yard. He was doing it in broad daylight. They have those little hands that can reach in and pull heads through bars too. I don't know if mink or weasles can do that.

 

[FenDruadin]

I am so sorry for your loss. What a horrible thing to wake up to.

I suspect the reason your ducks got it but not your chickens has to do with their differing sleep habits. Ducks like to sleep along the "wall" (edges of the cage) at ground level, which makes them very vulnerable to predators who like to reach through. Chickens like to roost up higher, and will tend to sleep toward the center rather than against the edge, so they're less vulnerable unless the only roosts available are close to the edge.

My first thought, like many others, was raccoon, because I've had those losses too, and they sound just like what you had. However, I suspect mink or weasel will do similar damage and can get in through smaller cracks. Whatever you saw doesn't really sound like a raccoon either--they have an almost waddling amble that is quite distinctive, whereas a weasel or mink will have a faster, darting motion. However, until you catch something there's really no way to know.

Hardware wire is one good option to prevent the reaching-through predation, as has already been mentioned. You can also try providing a double barrier--to prevent raccoons grabbing quail feet through the hardware mesh (which they will do, and then drag the whole leg through and eat it off--bloody death), we put a second layer of chicken wire about four inches outside the hardware mesh. The raccoons could reach through the chicken wire, but it limits their flexibility and prevents them doing it quickly enough to catch the quail off guard. I've also placed duckling pens inside of large dog crates, so raccoons can't reach far enough inside to nab the babies.

Another option is electric wire around the outside perimeter to discourage predators from even trying to get inside--you could do that around the garage, perhaps.

Anyway, good luck, and don't give up. It took me many iterations to finally get a system that truly keeps predators out. And I still have to monitor the perimeter regularly and check for weakness. Don't give up, and don't beat yourself up!

 

[dumb_cluck]

The only clue I really have is the poop left behind. Definately not mouse. It is like guinea pig poop. Looks like fat oblong brown rice but smooth. I assumed it was rat poop, which I did get 3 so far with bait. Don't know if Mink/weasel, etc poop looks like. Maybe the same?

Raccoon poop? Don't know what it looks like either.

Seems like we had mice eating the feed, so I put it in large heavy plastic garbage cans. That lasted about a year until a few months ago when I discovered that something chewed a hole in every can! That's when I saw the rat poop. Got galvanized cans next and baited for rats. Got some then... the night I will never forget happened.

Maybe the mice left because of lack of food, the rats showed up and could get at it. Then the "thing" showed up looking to eat rats and saw a better meal?

I miss my little buddies, all hand raised except for Donald (the rouen) and Penny(Skittles mate).

 

[rainplace]

I used a dead mouse in a small havahart.

It doesn't kill my ducks anymore.

Also fix where it came in. You may kill this one, but sooner or later a new one will take over the territory.

 

[dumb_cluck]

It's 4:50am EST and I just saw the little bast***d on the video camera in the garage. It is a mink or something very similar. It went right by the camera on top of the chicken coop. Good thing I brought them into the house!

Now, I need to catch and kill. From the size, it must be very flexible to get in under the door, but it's obvious that some door fixing is on today's agenda.

Any other bait recommendations?

 

[Birdcrazy]

Very sorry for the loss of your ducks

its horrible when you lose very loved pets in horrible ways
At the small school block all the chickens were killed, around 40, and not a single one eaten. Just all killed. From sights, it turns out to be very small dogs managing to somehow get into the pens, and the few remaining chooks are very traumatized and mostly injured.

Apparently none of the people around can contain there dogs, and some dogs have even gotten in and attacked the horses and foals.

its so sad, but its not that hard to stop your dog from wandering and killing... really

I hope you catch the darn killer and hopefully get rid of any holes in your garage, then get some more ducks!! Good luck

 

[dumb_cluck]

I am surprised at small dog attacks. Are you sure it wasn't a fox or some varmint like I have? Usually people with small dogs keep them on their lap and are very protective of them. Hmmm.

BTW, yes I will be getting more ducks.

 

[Birdcrazy]

Yeah they got pictures of them, uhmm jack russel I think and some other cross breed sorta one (I'm not too sure) and we don't have minks and racoons here, but heeeeaps of foxes, snakes and predatory birds. And usually a wild predator actually eats the kill, too

I really hope it goes well with your next ducks, its not your fault at all your ducks we're killed

bad luck, but atleast you can be aware... hope the traps work out too, if thats what your going with.

 

[dawnjoennikki98]

Awwww, I'm so sorry for your loss. I can't imagine how you feel. But like the other's said, you were doing just about everything to protect them, so don't blame yourself!!

Can I ask what kind of traps you used to catch the rats? thank you!

Dawn