Found one of my female ducks dead

[Wi_Pida]

Today I went out to feed my chickens and ducks their supper. I seen there was a little blood by the water jug outside (they're all free ranged). When I looked around I didn't see anything. So I went inside the hen house that both my chickens and ducks share. I found one of my female ducks dead. She hadn't been dead long because no rigger had set in. I'm trying to figure out what or who had killed her. I found she was still intact except for a hole in her gut.

One thing I found strange is that when one of my roosters came into the room the ducks all came running at me. They never do this. They don't show fear with any of the other roosters either and the chicken hens were as calm as can be. Is it possible that the rooster the others seen and came running to me was the attacker?

I have removed him from the flock just in case. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

It sounds like a rat if you found a hole in its stomach. They like to go for the guts.

 

[Wi_Pida]

It sounds like a rat if you found a hole in its stomach. They like to go for the guts.

We've never had rats. Only mice and moles. And that doesn't explain why the other ducks freaked out when they seen Thor, the rooster. I have 72 chickens, 10 of which are roosters.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

We've never had rats. Only mice and moles. And that doesn't explain why the other ducks freaked out when they seen Thor, the rooster. I have 72 chickens, 10 of which are roosters.

Have you never seen rats or is it physically impossible for them to be located in your region? A weasel is another possibility. I would say coon, but normally they start with the head. After any attack poultry will be on edge and very jumpy.

 

[Wi_Pida]

Have you never seen rats or is it physically impossible for them to be located in your region? A weasel is another possibility. I would say coon, but normally they start with the head. After any attack poultry will be on edge and very jumpy.

No, we have never seen rats anywhere around here. Even our neighbors say the same. Only mice. Yes, I have seen weasels but not in the day time. None of the poultry are jumpy except for when they see Thor. This includes the chickens. As soon as they seen me take him out the ducks all calmed down too. It's very strange. I know he was always trying to mate with her and the other duck hens. Daisy, the one that died would always stop him.

The other thing I noticed is that the insides were not touched. Her stomach was just ripped open.