Free Range Ducks - Mission Impossible?

[CelticOaksFarm]

I never said a weasel is a mink so dont put words in my statement please. I was suggesting various predators that are common and likely to take ducks.

 

[EggLuver]

A weasel isn't a mink. In my experience when a predator has a choice between chickens or ducks the chickens get targeted. Since there is a pond I would certainly wonder if it is a turtle. You could put out baits for turtles and see what you catch......

No they are not minks but they are in the same family.



Quote: I think it was because you put (mink) in parenthesis after the weasels. Some people just have to prove how smart they are.

 

[WillsC]

"You can have bobcats, fox, weasels (mink) stray dogs to name a few other predators"

When you put a word in parentheses after a word it is telling the reader it is an example of the previous word OR used as a clarifying statement. If as you say now you meant it as just another predator you would have simply listed it as you did the others. I was letting the readers know what you stated was wrong. Why are you getting so uptight about such a simple clarification?

 

[ReLearning2Live]

Oh dear

Well, anyway, I really appreciate all the help and suggestions.

Guess what I saw this morning running from the pond and up across the field?! Mr. Fox!

He was about 3ft from nose to tail; could he be the culprit?! Do they hunt during the daytime?

My guess is that if he is, then he would be ignoring the chickens b/c of the proximity to our home.

We *could* troll for snappers big enough to take a whole duck, traceless, but the pond was completely dredged, emptied, and refilled just 5 years ago, so I don't think it could have one *that* big in it.

Now we have to set a have-a-heart for the fox. Any idea what foxes love? When we did skunks sardines did the trick; no idea about what foxes love.

Thanks again

 

[WillsC]

No they are not minks but they are in the same family.



I think it was because you put (mink) in parenthesis after the weasels. Some people just have to prove how smart they are. are primates.....would it be accurate to say chimpanzee instead of human?

Humans are primates would it be accurate to call ourselves chimpanzees instead of Humans? If the problem is a weasel it's hunting is different from a mink and the OP would need to know that. A male mink can and will take a duck on the water where a weasel would not. As you can see there was a reason for my letting the OP know that weasels and minks are different creatures.

 

[WillsC]

If it is a fox and especially if it has almost grown kits yes they will hunt during the day. The problem with turtles is they can and do migrate between ponds and can walk a long ways, miles. Could even be an otter as they have been known to take ducks. Since you saw a fox though I would start there. Foxes can be extremely hard to trap......they are not dumb and can be very wary. If you know any hunters ask if they have a trail cam and set it up to see what comes around when you are not at home. If it is the fox it will get brave enough at some point to try to get the chickens.

 

[Cedar714]

I had a duck vanish 4 days ago, no trace and at this point I narrowed it down to fox or large raptor, I have seen hawks and or eagles/falcons soaring high in the sky and also seen a fox a few weeks ago crossing the road less than a 1/4 mile away.
I will try to trap the fox and scare the birds I guess and keep a closer eye on the flock.
Wish they would've got one of my extra roosters instead of one of my ducks

 

[fowl farm]

Guess what I saw this morning running from the pond and up across the field?! Mr. Fox!

He was about 3ft from nose to tail; could he be the culprit?! Do they hunt during the daytime?

When I saw the fox take ours it was 4 in the afternoon. So yes, they hunt during the day. If only they would hunt during the night when the birds were safely tucked away in their houses...oh, well.

 

[NeilsHamburgs]

I never had any problems free ranging.

 

[aoxa]

I never had any problems free ranging.

I was always told that it is just a matter of time