ducks beheaded at night

[sugarconefarms]

Does anyone know what animal may be killing ducks by removing their head and necks? This is the second duck I have found dead in this manner. My pond is fully fenced and I doubt a raccoon climbed the fence without making enough noise to alert them. So sad, so perplexing!

 

[Going Quackers]

Yikes! sorry to hear that!

I am thinking weasels but i'd have to consult my predator info, mind you coons can awfully sneaky too. What types of predators are you aware of? do the ducks have a floating home in which to hide in?

Okay, according to my reference guide, also bobcat/lynx, coons are listed as leaving that kind of damage too. Do you have access to any camera that you could set up or perhaps set a trap

 

[Miss Lydia]

Does anyone know what animal may be killing ducks by removing their head and necks? This is the second duck I have found dead in this manner. My pond is fully fenced and I doubt a raccoon climbed the fence without making enough noise to alert them. So sad, so perplexing!

I understand Owls will do this. so sorry for you losses about the only way to prevent this kind of death would be to lock your ducks up at night. Which I highly recommend.

 

[Amiga]

I agree that keeping the ducks overnight in a shelter with no gaps larger than half an inch (think metal hardware cloth over ventilation openings) is the best way to protect them at night. There are so many predators especially at that time.

You may want to post over at the Predators Pests forum, too, if you haven't done that.

 

[cosbackyard]

I agree that keeping the ducks overnight in a shelter with no gaps larger than half an inch (think metal hardware cloth over ventilation openings) is the best way to protect them at night. There are so many predators especially at that time.

This is the key.

I've had ducklings pulled through chicken wire by raccoons.
As for the ducks being alerted - I don't think it matters. Maybe some of you have ninja ducks, but all of them that I've had have been completely incapable of escaping predators, much less defending themselves.

 

[Carcajou]

Definitely lock them in at night with the 1/2" hardware cloth securely fastened over all openings. I learned the hard way and know how heartbreaking it is to lose them.

 

[fawne]

I am sorry to say this but I have been told by several sources that racoons actually like to behead their prey. They make a mess and leave it lying around. They will climb anything. You have to remember that racoons build their nests in trees. So yes they can climb that high. I had to put a netting over the top of my coop and I put steel under the dirt inside of the chicken coop over top of the chicken wire of the floor just to keep them out. While I know that this is not nessisarily an easy option you could think about putting some cement down.

Regards,
Nicole