Feathers and blood... any guesses what the predator was?

[annbee]

Our female mallard got really headstrong in the past week and went into hiding at dark instead of going to the enclosure (like she had been doing for three months) at night. Two nights ago I wasn't able to find her after searching so had to call it a night hoping she had hunkered down somewhere safe for the night. When I woke up to let the other birds out I discovered:

a) feathers. Not a ton but enough that is looked like a good fight. there was a chunk of flesh still on a clump.
b) Blood splatter full of seeds
c) Half an egg shell that looked like her eggs.

It happened right by the chicken coop which makes me feel worse that she had apparently tried to escape but, of course, the coop was closed for the night.

I looked around the yard to see if her corpse was anywhere and the only thing I had noticed was their feeders had been knocked down. I heard no commotion during the night but also had a fan on near my head.

We've been known to have many predators who like the farm (foxes, skunks, raccoons, feral cats, hawks, coyotes) so am curious if anyone has a clue what it could possibly be? I'm leaning towards raccoon since I read that feral cats will leave the wings but honestly don't know. Pretty bummed since this is the first bird we've lost to a predator in three years of owning them.

Any suggestions/guesses would be appreciated and helpful!

 

[annbee]

Raccoon. It tried to kill our rooster that was in isolation. Rooster was in a large dog cage in a dog run and the raccoon reached in and tried to get him. Lots of feathers and he lost a spur but he survived. Now to catch a raccoon....

 

[Mattemma]

I have had great luck with a 1089 havahart $46 from home depot. Hope you catch it soon,and then leave the trap set for others.

 

[annbee]

Thanks for the recommendation! I'll check it out! Two of our live traps are broken so we only have one left. Thanks for the recommendation!

 

[thomasboyle]

Coons around us love marshmallows, so to catch them, I zip tie an empty tuna can to the bottom of the cage trap, and fill it with 6-7 large marshmallows so they are stuffed in and cannot be easily removed. I put the trap out at sunset, and often I have a coon before I go to bed.

But don't overlook foxes and coyotes as well. They could just as easily have taken your mallard. I raise them, and more often than not, they disappear without a trace. They don't leave an explosion of feathers like chickens do.

 

[annbee]

Oh wow thomasboyle that's a really clever idea! I'll have to get some big marshmallows and try it out!


So the plot kind of thickened... yesterday morning when I went to let the birds out the rooster had been attacked. He had been in the dog run within a dog cage (since he was in isolation due to being massively aggressive towards me (displaced anger towards my boyfriends aunt). There were feathers everywhere and his comb had blood on it and most of his spur had come off. Boyfriends sister came to help me with first aid and wrapped his spur up after cleaning and medicating it and he's been inside in a small cage (to restrict movement) healing. Let me tell you he's pretty mad about the situation (especially since he's in what I've dubbed the "nursery" since that's where all the ducklings and chicks currently are) but he's alive and recovering and for that I'm super grateful.

I put out the live trap last night in the field by where I thought the predator had grabbed our roo. When I checked the trap this morning I actually had a skunk in there! Do you think a skunk would be capable of killing my mallard and reaching through a fence and cage to try and pull out our rooster? Or did I catch another predator on my task to catch the real culprit? I hope I caught the predator and dispatched it (first time so was a learning experience! Luckily I didn't get sprayed and was over quick and humanely) but am curious if the skunk could have climbed up and reached through the fence and dog cage to get the roo?

 

[thomasboyle]

Skunks can get chickens and ducks, but I have them around, and have watched them many a night, and I don't see that they can move fast enough to catch one on the run. Maybe if they came across a sleeping bird, or one who didn't run, they are, after all, a member of the weasel family. If you have skunks around, I would pick up a bottle of skunk miracle or other skunk de-oderizer. If you ever need it, it will happen when the stores are closed! I have a couple bottles on hand, as I know my dogs and cats will one day get sprayed!

I would keep setting the trap for another 4-5 nights to see if you have other predators - any nearby animal will be attracted to the bait in the trap. I regularly catch opossums and raccoons, and occasionally cats. I don't think a skunk is your real killer.

 

[annbee]

Kept the live trap out there every night these past two weeks and ultimately caught two skunks which were promptly dispatched. I think they came across the duck when she was sleeping and the rooster when he was sleeping as well. Since the two skunks have been taken care of we've had no other problems with predators here in the farm! We had a 16 lbs diseased raccoon wandering around at the end of our 1/4 mile driveway (who was also dispatched since a) it was too close for comfort and b) poor thing was pretty diseased looking) the other week but doubt it was him. Great point on the skunk de-oderizer being around! My boyfriends Dad had the misfortunate of pissing off a skunk he caught by the house and it sprayed him and the florida room. House stank for 3 months afterwards!