Duck attack

[JenBBB]

I went to let my ducks out of their night house this morning, absolutely gutted to find my main man had lost his head, my girl has a few marks on her and my other boy was unhurt. We're guessing a fox dug under the slabs, maybe went for betty and boris tried to save her?
I'm so upset, they are very much pets and I feel so guilty. I thought the bed was predator proof, a horrible way to find out I was wrong.

Will the fox likely come back, we have their old bed that is very secure but doesnt give them much room now they have grown up but it will do until we can secure the big bed. Does anyone have any tips on making it safer, deterring predators?
I've washed Betty's wounds and put germolene on, ideally take her to a vet for some antibiotics, is that even an option for ducks? Im worried she will get an infection?
Sorry for the long post guys x

 

[CluckerFamily]

I am so sorry.
The fox will return until he can't get in, has gotten everything or is eliminated. Fox are very sly, they will also drop by at different times if they can't get in and sometimes they will stop by during the day.

You can take her to the vet. I personally don't use the vet but that is because all our vets focus on livestock and our vets aren't experienced in poultry.

 

[JenBBB]

I am so sorry.
The fox will return until he can't get in, has gotten everything or is eliminated. Fox are very sly, they will also drop by at different times if they can't get in and sometimes they will stop by during the day.

You can take her to the vet. I personally don't use the vet but that is because all our vets focus on livestock and our vets aren't experienced in poultry.

Thank you, our local pet vet has agreed to see betty, they don't really do ducks but hes happy to check her wounds and give antibiotics.
They've sat at the back door all day, I keep seeing a head pop in to check I'm still close my partner wants to catch and kill the fox but it's not an option so we will spend the weekend turning the pen into a fortress.

 

[cmom]

So sorry for your loss. The fox will keep coming back looking for an opportunity since it has made a kill. I would eliminate it. Others may eventually show up but not necessarily to get your birds. I had a fox kill several birds. I did eliminate it. I have seen fox around but they haven't messed with my birds but I do have multiple electric hot wires around my coops and pens and they will hurt when touched. I think the adults teach the young to stay away and the chickens here aren't worth getting zapped for. Good luck...
These are some coyotes. I think the mother is teaching the young to stay away from the coops because she may have gotten zapped and one time or another. A couple of times I have seen attempts at digging under the fence but once they touched the wires they aborted the attempt. Cold have been a fox or coyote here. Here the predators roam mostly at night.

 

[JenBBB]

So sorry for your loss. The fox will keep coming back looking for an opportunity since it has made a kill. I would eliminate it. Others may eventually show up but not necessarily to get your birds. I had a fox kill several birds. I did eliminate it. I have seen fox around but they haven't messed with my birds but I do have multiple electric hot wires around my coops and pens and they will hurt when touched. I think the adults teach the young to stay away and the chickens here aren't worth getting zapped for. Good luck...
These are some coyotes. I think the mother is teaching the young to stay away from the coops because she may have gotten zapped and one time or another. A couple of times I have seen attempts at digging under the fence but once they touched the wires they aborted the attempt. Cold have been a fox or coyote here. Here the predators roam mostly at night.

Thank you, I really dont like the thought of killing any animal, and I'm not sure it's even allowed in the uk. If we scared it off would it still come back? I'm definitely going to look into the electric fencing, that's a really good idea.
I'm so upset, I've had these ducks since they were hatched, they're like my mini dogs I'd just got them to trust me and feel like I really let him down

 

[cmom]

Yes, more than likely it will come back and lurk looking for an opportunity usually until it finds one. I had a fox kill several of my birds until I eliminated it.

I agree,

I am so sorry.
The fox will return until he can't get in, has gotten everything or is eliminated. Fox are very sly, they will also drop by at different times if they can't get in and sometimes they will stop by during the day.

My most favorite bird was killed during the middle of the day. Again, good luck...

 

[cmom]

I don't know how large your property is but this method will work on a large scale or small scale. The concept is the same. I have three wires.
http://www.plamondon.com/wp/faq-simple-electric-fences-chickens/

 

[JenBBB]

I don't know how large your property is but this method will work on a large scale or small scale. The concept is the same. I have three wires.
http://www.plamondon.com/wp/faq-simple-electric-fences-chickens/

I'm going to try the electric fencing even if my partner gets his way with this fox, I only have a little back garden, they roam free during the day and have a shed sort of thing at bedtime. Our dog runs round the garden with them so not too worried about day time but they need a safe space to play in the day when i go out and to sleep at night time.
Thank you x

 

[JenBBB]

Yes, more than likely it will come back and lurk looking for an opportunity usually until it finds one. I had a fox kill several of my birds until I eliminated it.

I agree,

My most favorite bird was killed during the middle of the day. Again, good luck...

How do you all eliminate them? I wouldn't want it to suffer in any way if that's what has to happen x

 

[cmom]

In years past I would use leg traps and used one of the birds it killed at bait and when it came back for the body and got in a trap I shot it ab buried it. Now more and more people are buying land around us and building so I have been seeing more dogs and cats around so I live trap and if I happen to catch someone's pet I can release it for the fox when I catch it, I shoot it and bury it. With the foxes I have eliminated I still see them now and then. More often at night on my game cameras but as long as they leave my birds alone I leave them alone but they don't mess with the electric hot wires around my coops and pens. For the live traps I bait the traps for a few days and let them take the bait then set the trap.
This is one that killed my favorite bird during the day.