Duck killed inside pen at night- what killed her?

[Launchpad]

They look so innocent when they are trapped. But then you remember the pain they caused you. Another great choice of bait is marshmallows. BTW, don't think he worked alone. I would set the trap again for a few more nights. Just in case.

This time i got two at once.
Sardines for the win

 

[MinnPeeps]

@Launchpad. I will put that in my arsenal. Was saving the sardines for chicken treats. I never caught two at once. Greed will soon get the best of you. Will try this, just to make sure nothing is around. Happy trapping.

 

[Bruthabuz]

This time i got two at once.
Sardines for the win
View attachment 3685824

What are you doing with them?
It's nice to know what bait works best. If I have a problem with them, I'll remember your sardines! Plus, I have a lot of cat food (5 indoor cats and around 6 outdoor cats).
Congratulations! I hope your raccoon problems are over or soon will be!

 

[Launchpad]

What are you doing with them?
It's nice to know what bait works best. If I have a problem with them, I'll remember your sardines! Plus, I have a lot of cat food (5 indoor cats and around 6 outdoor cats).
Congratulations! I hope your raccoon problems are over or soon will be!

I am dispatching them and then incinerating them. I have fallen under the impression is more humane than relocating them where they'll just be eaten/killed. And disease etc
I'm going to keep resetting/ watching the pen while the ducks are sheltering in the chicken coop until my pens are fully reinforced... just assuming there are more until there aren't

 

[Bruthabuz]

How's the progress going? Any more invasions?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I am dispatching them and then incinerating them. I have fallen under the impression is more humane than relocating them where they'll just be eaten/killed. And disease etc
I'm going to keep resetting/ watching the pen while the ducks are sheltering in the chicken coop until my pens are fully reinforced... just assuming there are more until there aren't

I am glad to hear this. I once relocated a raccoon and then felt horrible afterward. I did not know the area where I released him and realized there could have been other chicken owners in that area, and I could have just made him somebody else's problem. I didn't have the means at the time to dispatch it, but now I do. I have also since learned that dumping wildlife in a new area can create problems for the wildlife, as it will have to compete with established populations for resources, which could result in a slow and painful death to starvation, or a violent death to resident wildlife. Better to destroy it as humanely and quickly as possible.

 

[Launchpad]

How's the progress going? Any more invasions?

Since the double catch, i have had no indication of more. No feces, no one gong for the sardines, no one on video
But staying vigilant. No one is going to live in those two pens until i hardware cloth all the way up to pole over the netting. Which i am starting tomorrow

 

[Launchpad]

I am glad to hear this. I once relocated a raccoon and then felt horrible afterward. I did not know the area where I released him and realized there could have been other chicken owners in that area, and I could have just made him somebody else's problem. I didn't have the means at the time to dispatch it, but now I do. I have also since learned that dumping wildlife in a new area can create problems for the wildlife, as it will have to compete with established populations for resources, which could result in a slow and painful death to starvation, or a violent death to resident wildlife. Better to destroy it as humanely and quickly as possible.

Those are my thoughts as well

 

[OneEggToRuleThemAll]

Wow! I'm so sorry for your poor ducks, but glad you caught the little turds who killed them! I live in the city right now, and we have a mama + two baby raccoons living in the overgrown yard next door. They're not scared of anything...one night I heard clanging on my front porch (we leave the porch door cracked open for our cats to get in out of the rain, if they need to), and when I flipped the light on and looked outside, the three raccoons were tearing apart an empty pizza box in the recycle bin! Two days later, I looked out my front door at night just to see what the weather was like, and I saw one of the raccoons rummaging around in the grass only about three feet away from my lounging cat (who didn't seem bothered by the raccoon at all)!!

Now I've got four ducklings inside in the brooder and reading posts like yours makes me super concerned about building a 100% predator-proof duck house and pen. I'm gonna pass your thread along to my hubby to read, too, as he'll be the main designer and builder. Thanks for sharing, and good luck! I hope you have zero future issues with predators!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Half inch hardware cloth top, sides and bottom with an apron 2' out all the way around from the sides. Or buried into the ground to deter diggers.