Duck MIA

[Chick_a_dee]

This evening we took a short trip to the grocery store and arrived just as it was getting dark back at home. We found one of our Buff Ducks calling to her friends on the front lawn, another in the duck shed brooding some dud eggs and the 3rd Buff Duck MIA. There was absolutely no sign a predator had taken her. No feathers. No Blood. None of the chickens were distressed and my brother didn't hear any frantic quacking. Everything seemed normal, cat lounging on the porch (scared of ducks), Dogs inside, ect. I find this thoroughly bizzarre.

That reminded me of what happened about a month ago. A month ago one of our EE hens went missing one afternoon. Just out of the blue, no feathers and no sounds. Nothing to say any bird had been taken off by ANY predator.

Any thoughts as to what could have done this?

We do have a skunk and raccoon that do their rounds but they don't usually show up until much later in the evening and prefer to snack on cat food. The cats were lounging happily on the porch which would suggest the raccoon and skunk had not been by yet.

Mum is thinking we have a fowl-napper in the area. It is an idea, just as we were leaving a white truck that no one knows or has seen before showed up on the road. Our road is a through road if you go to the end down a smaller road that no one lives on but rarely is it used in such a way.

 

[Gerardi]

Hello,
I know how you feel about things coming up missing! Just yesterday i went out to check on my flock of birds. I had 5 baby RIR chicks and 3 Yellow Buff chicks. Well my count was 4 and 2. Well i also HAD a dry land duck. I went to see if she had laid me any eggs and she was laying there. The wonderful Mink of the neighborhood struck again.. But with my 2 babies that are missing. Its like you said. No feathers, no blood, as i like to say the Mink took a to-go meal.. Sounds similar to whats going on out here..

 

[Chick_a_dee]

The thing is, there is absolutely no sign anyone was taken. The one duck was distressed but the one on the nest could care less. Mum is convinced someone is poutry-napping here. Our girls are Buff Ducks and very striking and we have had people come up to chat or buy eggs or whatever and have been really taken with them. I just don't trust people. Not since a man came up to buy eggs, and a week later our farm egg sign was down and we found out he owned a farm on the highway that was now in business selling eggs and he had been seen taking down our sign.

Some people, eh?

 

[MysticScorpio82]

Well that is rude that he would take down your sign on private property. I hope you put back up an even bigger sign!

Honestly I would invest in a game cam or something. If someone is taking your fowl then a cam will either deter them, or catch them in the act and you can call the police. I hope everything works out!