Launchpad
Songster
So when it rains, it pours.
After losing Rose the silver appleyard last night to unknown reasons, this morning i found our pekin female dead inside the pen. The male pekin was there, skittish and upset but unhurt.
Daphne was a year and half old pekin we got from tractor supply with Niles the big male
They were pretty much inseparable and she was the most anti social of all the ducks but other than occasionally harassing the other females or talking talking with the other male they were together their entire lives. They have been nesting together in the same pen the entire time (all this will possibly be relevant).
Two days ago, the other duck pen we had built was finally ready so we started with the 2 cayuga and one silver that have been a group since birth to try it out: 2 female 1 male. The new pen is on the the left and the existing pen that we got with the property on the right (with Niles in it).
We've never had a problem and the former property owners had ducks and never had a problem (they have had snakes eat eggs). It's not hardware cloth but galvanized wire. Very strong but larger openings. I am going to encircle it with hardware cloth either way.
Last night the ducks went up as usual; the 2 pekins on the right and the 2 cayuga and one silver on the left: 1 male 2 female
This morning went to let them out and Daphne was dead and somewhat mutilated in the center of the pen. The gate was still locked and there are no signs of digging, openings in the wire, or on the being on the top. The pen is rusher well constructed with metal wire reinforcement etc.
Niles, the male, was completely fine. He had no blood on his feathers or bill (had access to the pool though)
I will post the pictures, they are graphic
*
*
*
*
*
There were no further signs of a struggle or blood anywhere inside the pen except immediately behind the coop is a small concrete slab where the back door is
There is blood and some feathers. Nothing else anywhere.
My first question is, could Niles the male have done this? The wound were quite deep and she was mutilated on that one side. He is a huge male.
Could the presence of the other ducks near their sleeping pen caused something to snap? They have interacted with these ducks every day for over a year; just never seen them at night.
If not the male, could a large snake have done this/ would a snake do this? They are around. But while an egg makes sense, this does not (to me).
I was looking for something she could have been caught on, mainly by the area with the blood, but can't think of anything.
The only other explanation is a predator wiggled inside through the fence or somehow pushed the gate to wiggle a little through. Even then it would have to have been a small predator. I've never seen a weasel or a mink here but central/ east Texas they are known to exist.
There have been two otter sightings in the last year.
It would have to been a very small racoon or fox if one of those.
Did the other three ducks combined with the two pekins attract a predator that would have been otherwise unaware?
Would a predator kill only the female and not attack the male? Would the male try and defend her even though it was a losing fight? Again he had no wounds or signs of blood or a struggle at all. Just visibly upset
This is a mystery.
I now have to figure out where to put Niles while i reinforce the pen with hardware cloth and the gate with chains etc.
Also, he will note be quite lonely.
Is it possible i can slowly integrate the 3 females (that are currently spending days in the yard while one recovers from bumblefoot surgery) with Niles? He's never been without Daphne, this will hit him hard.
Thanks for any and all thoughts and help
After losing Rose the silver appleyard last night to unknown reasons, this morning i found our pekin female dead inside the pen. The male pekin was there, skittish and upset but unhurt.
Daphne was a year and half old pekin we got from tractor supply with Niles the big male
They were pretty much inseparable and she was the most anti social of all the ducks but other than occasionally harassing the other females or talking talking with the other male they were together their entire lives. They have been nesting together in the same pen the entire time (all this will possibly be relevant).
Two days ago, the other duck pen we had built was finally ready so we started with the 2 cayuga and one silver that have been a group since birth to try it out: 2 female 1 male. The new pen is on the the left and the existing pen that we got with the property on the right (with Niles in it).
We've never had a problem and the former property owners had ducks and never had a problem (they have had snakes eat eggs). It's not hardware cloth but galvanized wire. Very strong but larger openings. I am going to encircle it with hardware cloth either way.
Last night the ducks went up as usual; the 2 pekins on the right and the 2 cayuga and one silver on the left: 1 male 2 female
This morning went to let them out and Daphne was dead and somewhat mutilated in the center of the pen. The gate was still locked and there are no signs of digging, openings in the wire, or on the being on the top. The pen is rusher well constructed with metal wire reinforcement etc.
Niles, the male, was completely fine. He had no blood on his feathers or bill (had access to the pool though)
I will post the pictures, they are graphic
*
*
*
*
*
There were no further signs of a struggle or blood anywhere inside the pen except immediately behind the coop is a small concrete slab where the back door is
There is blood and some feathers. Nothing else anywhere.
My first question is, could Niles the male have done this? The wound were quite deep and she was mutilated on that one side. He is a huge male.
Could the presence of the other ducks near their sleeping pen caused something to snap? They have interacted with these ducks every day for over a year; just never seen them at night.
If not the male, could a large snake have done this/ would a snake do this? They are around. But while an egg makes sense, this does not (to me).
I was looking for something she could have been caught on, mainly by the area with the blood, but can't think of anything.
The only other explanation is a predator wiggled inside through the fence or somehow pushed the gate to wiggle a little through. Even then it would have to have been a small predator. I've never seen a weasel or a mink here but central/ east Texas they are known to exist.
There have been two otter sightings in the last year.
It would have to been a very small racoon or fox if one of those.
Did the other three ducks combined with the two pekins attract a predator that would have been otherwise unaware?
Would a predator kill only the female and not attack the male? Would the male try and defend her even though it was a losing fight? Again he had no wounds or signs of blood or a struggle at all. Just visibly upset
This is a mystery.
I now have to figure out where to put Niles while i reinforce the pen with hardware cloth and the gate with chains etc.
Also, he will note be quite lonely.
Is it possible i can slowly integrate the 3 females (that are currently spending days in the yard while one recovers from bumblefoot surgery) with Niles? He's never been without Daphne, this will hit him hard.
Thanks for any and all thoughts and help
They were beautiful ducks. 
