Disappearing ducks :(

[lnm03]

We had 2 adult pekin ducks and we had 8 four month old ducks (4 pekin, 2 runner and 2 rouen). First my male adult pekin disappeared no sign of him any where. Then mothers day weekend my runners, rouens and 2 of the baby pekins disappeared.....These guys are just vanishing..... We do free range them and they all go in at night and we close them down. No chickens have come up missing at all any ideas as to what is getting my ducks? I just find it odd that an animal would only target my ducks! There is no trace of them no feathers from a struggle NOTHING They were there when I got home from work and an hour later when I went to lock em up they were gone!

 

[gamebirdsonly]

Sorry to hear about your ducks

 

[DillardHome]

How big is your property? Maybe they decided to bed down somewhere?? I have 7 week old Rouens, just last week I started letting them out of their pen during the day to get used to our pond. At night they would voluntarily go into their pen right up into their house and I would lock them up at night. They are still getting used to the pond and I have only seen them venture out at most 10 feet before they seem to say "uh oh too far, TOO FAR!!" and rush back to shore. A few nights ago I went to lock them up and they were not there, I made my little "here's a treat" sound

and they responded, they were on the other side of the pond anxiously wanting to come home but for some reason whether they were scared or what they couldn't do it. So my loving DH made a trek over to shoo them back. This scenario has happened three times so far. I know yours are adults and mine are still young but maybe something spooked them and/or they went to far and need help getting home? Just a thought

 

[spish]

could somebody be stealing them? just a thought...if theres no sign of a struggle.......

 

[keeperofthehearth]

Sounds to me as if they are hang'n out somewhere else OR someone is stealing them. You generally wouldn't have that many ducks disappear that quickly without your chooks being targeted also if it were a 4 legged predator/'s.

 

[Natermotor]

I had a problem with people stealing my ducks at night. One night on the weekend, I camped out in the duck house and suprised the guy that was doing it. I didn't press charges but I told him that if he ever came back I would shoot him. It worked.

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

Quote:
This made me laugh!!

To the op - I agree, I think you have 2 legged predator. Whenever I have losed anything to a predator, there has pretty much always been feathers, blood or something.

 

[afeatherfan]

When a fox takes something they grab it and it is gone they take it off and eat it. Trust me I have had this done to me many times.

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
I AGREE! I even saw one duck grabbed by a fox on the run. Since I know they tend to take them elsewhere to eat I was on their trail as soon as I got the gun and there was Mrs Lucky headed for home Evidently she excaped before He got around to killing her.

 

[Swampwood]

Alligator or Gar.. Well, Here it is possible.

Whatever or whovr.. Would really have me mad and hunting them now.