Attack in duck house last night :(

[Rcschellman]

Hi y'all -

Need some help in ID'ing what predator got into our duck house last night. I've been searching and searching online and can't find any clear cut answers. Yes, I know...hard to do when predators don't follow their "rules" ;-) . Here's what we found this morning: one dead duck that was literally eaten clean - a wing, backbone, foot, and some intestines left. The other two ducks were wounded badly enough that we had to do the heartbreaking deed of finishing them off. One had an injury on the side of its head and one had a gash down the side of its neck into its back. There was an empty egg shell left near the door. What do we think? Possum or raccoon? I've trapped and killed possums around here (after losing a couple of baby bunnies). The head of the one killed duck was not there, but I've never seen a carcass so devoured. Even the rib cage was gone. Any ideas would be helpful...setting the trap tonight but have my chickens and rabbits to worry about. Thank you in advance!

 

[Leave a LightOn]

As a follow-up for anyone interested (or anyone later who has this same issue and stumbled onto this thread), I have now caught two coons and one possum. I will be trapping every night still until the trap is empty. On one hand, I'm still frustrated and wondering just how big the problem is...but on the other I'm relieved we're eliminating the issues.

 

[luvmyduckies]

Thank you...it is definitely heart-wrenching to say the least. I actually did consider a coyote...we have those around too. With the way the door was pried back though, I debated on whether a coyote would've been able to get in and out. Th latch on the door wasn't fully in - door was propped up half open on top of a feeder this morning. Maybe gaping open by a foot or so? Know coyotes are skinny and crafty, and it sure made sense with the way the duck carcass was left. The empty egg shell threw me though...that seemed maybe more possum or raccoon-ish. Wish to heck I had a game cam set up back there!!! :-(

Did you catch anything today?

 

[Morgaine O'Connor]

so sorry to hear about your flock we've also had many predator problems throughout the years. Could definitely be a raccoon! Bigger predators like foxes and coyotes generally grab the bird and take off with it, but things like raccoons usually hang around to shred and eat it. Raccoons are brutal! We had a raccoon get one of turkeys last week, and put a decent sized hole in another's back (she's a trooper!). Because of their hands it's a lot easier for them to get into things than other predators like foxes. Hope you catch whatever it is soon! :'(

 

[itsasmallfarm]

my guess would be raccoon, when my grandparents used to raise pheasants and chickens raccoons got in and ate everything there but the beak and feet. there nasty creatures.

sorry for your loss.

 

[Rcschellman]

Thank you all so very much! Your experience and knowledge was spot on...caught a coon in the trap overnight. Needless to say, he won't be a problem any more. ;-) Setting the trap again tonight just in case...I don't know if they hunt in pairs or what, but he seemed so stinkin little to cause as much damage as he did. Grrrrr.

 

[Morgaine O'Connor]

Don't release it! A lot of people will just drive a ways away and then release them, but he could come back or you could be giving him to someone else! It's best to either kill it or call animal control to take care of it. A helpful thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...y-trap-should-i-release-it-or-kill-it.384556/

 

[Rcschellman]

You are so right, Morgaine! I used to be one of those catch and release believers. I'd even drive 35 miles away to do the releasing! But my hubs had a point...I was most likely creating a problem for someone else. Between that, and losing two baby bunnies to a possum a couple weeks ago, my amnesty and goodwill towards wildlife is over. Losing my ducks only made it a more concrete hatred.

 

[DuckPoop]

Glad you caught the killer. Keep in mind it maybe illegal to trap and release wildlife to a different area. Had a raccoon rip up some bee hives once. It never got a second chance.

 

[Rcschellman]

Omgosh DuckPoop! I didn't know they would mess with hives too! I have not let these that I've been catching have a second chance either - at anything else, anywhere else. I'm a little too sensitive, but after losing what we have I have to swallow that and put them down humanely. :'(