Dead duck

[chickens really]

I'd say the Drakes killed her and the chickens ate her.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks @Jpat

 

[Afroggie4u]

Oh wow! Lucky you seen it thats rare.

Trapping them is hard, Pros snare them. But ive gottem them with wire "live traps" and very large rat traps. But be carefull because a rat trap will do big damage to a duck bill

Heres a safeway of using a rat trapView attachment 2011088View attachment 2011089

And what i mean by live trapView attachment 2011087

I set a live trap out tonight with fish in it. Yes I was surprised I saw him too. He was bold and came right in the coop while I was there and grabbed one of my ducks. Only thing I had in my hand to hit it was a solar light bulb and I hit him hard but not hard enough. Lol

 

[Miss Lydia]

Anyway you can keep him out tonight so he doesn't get another one?

 

[Jpat]

Holey crap! Bold bugger forsure.

 

[Afroggie4u]

Yeah they are known to kill an entire flock for sport. Kill 6 birds and eat 3oz of meat

Hopefully he won't tonight, not much I can do in the dark with chickens sleeping and 17 degrees out

 

[Afroggie4u]

I'm still a bit off about the eyes.

Crows. magpies, mice and rats might eat them.. but weasels/cats; only when they are really hungry. They prefer neck/breast more or some chewing on the head. But not only the eyes. They do not go for the eyes first. Crows and magpies do; but then one has to be sneaky enough.. and be scared away in time otherwise they peck more.. rats and mice tend to start with "outerstuff" more; ends of wings, noses, beaks, paws, etc.

Weasel/fox/cat for the cull sounds right due to neck-ingeries. Then a bird non-predatory omnivorous bird.. a scavanger...

I think your first instincts were right.

It got the head and neck but yes also the eyes.

 

[Afroggie4u]

Good luck, and post again when you catch it. Question for the group: since weasels are typically nocturnal and sighting one is so rare, is there any chance this one could be sick? Er ... rabid, possibly?

I'm sure I'm not the best to answer you but this one didn't act rabid, it was just dark when I went out to lock up the ducks/chickens and I turned a light on when I was looking down at the floor. Hope he was rabid, since he did attack 2 of my ducks. Curious on others thoughts.

 

[Afroggie4u]

I'm sure I'm not the best to answer you but this one didn't act rabid, it was just dark when I went out to lock up the ducks/chickens and I turned a light on when I was looking down at the floor. Hope he was rabid, since he did attack 2 of my ducks. Curious on others thoughts.

*Wasn't* not was

 

[Afroggie4u]

Anyway you can keep him out tonight so he doesn't get another one?

Left the coop door open to the run so they can at least get away until I fix the hole