Full grown pekin drake taken at night

[mrjd1981]

Woke up the other morning to find back yard covered with feathers and a few chunks (1 sq. inch) of bird with feathers attached. Spread about in a near perfect circle diameter about 20 ft.

It happened at night. I live in northwest Florida. Anyone have a clue what it may have been?

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[ChickenLover200]

My drake (muscovy huge drake... he was over 13 pounds!) disappeared along with 3 ducklings and a hen duck. The drake was found hit along the road and the others were eaten (nothing but feathers left), so I'm going to follow this thread because I'm curious what it could be that would get our ducks. I'm from Pennsylvania...

 

[ladyearth]

dont yall house them securely at nite? just curious.
sorry for your losses......
.Im so tempted to leave coop doors open to run. But Im scared to...... I have occ accidentally let it open. and I really scold myself.... Lots times I go out late at nite not sure if I pulled that cord down....Have two coops....with a rope pulls.. One door cant see from house.. Plus have bad eyesight... the other comes sideways and has a 'chute"

 

[mrjd1981]

It was my fault, I made the "***"umption that they would be ok after they got as big as they did. I personally watched hawks circle overhead, while I was out of site, and they move on because they didn't want to tangle with them.

My 5 acres lot is fenced and have not had any large animals on my land since it was completed. The back half (not fenced by me) used the cheap field fencing that has larger openings. maybe 10" square.........

The kill site was by the field fencing on back portion of lot. That's what leads me to believe it was a land critter. But not sure what would have got the jump on him that would be able to lunge through a 10" square and then be able to either eat him entirely. or take the carcass away after making such a brutal mess.

All though feathers were scattered in a circle I did not see any big blood spots, or spray or anything, just 2 or 3 pieces of meat attached to feather chunks.

The circle pattern has me wondering if it was a dog. just thinking about how my little dog plays with the toys by shaking it back and forth in her jaws.....

The only thing that resembled tracks was just on the other side of the fence two deep holes spaced apart just right for a pouncing animal of some kind. But they were very small I was thinking fox but I don't think they hunt at night, do they?

 

[NateinFL]

Bobcat is my guess. I had a terrible issue with one last year. Killed my adult tom turkey and hand-raised peahen that I had for years. Got him on video.

 

[SouthernPride]

A fox will hunt at night. I lost quite a few ducks during the day and it was a bobcat but they will hunt at night as well. They leave very little behind, maybe a few feather but nothing like what you describe. Makes me think dog or coyote. I locked mine up at night but one evening I did not get to their pen before it got dark and found 2 of my big drakes missing. The pen is 6' chain link and only 6' square, I think that was bobcat as well. All predators are opportunistic, you just gotta be smarter and we all know ducks are not very smart.

 

[pattyhen]

I'm sorry for your losses. That is so sad. If you have other ducks this predator will probably come back.

 

[mrjd1981]

Thanks for your replies and your condolences!

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[ChickenLover200]

I had my ducks free range and the male was so mean, we couldn't house him anywhere and couldn't afford to build a new special duck coop.
Something got one of my roosters through hole in the fence and shredded him just last week.

 

[Cajun BYCF]

Have you had any luck in your murder investigation, mrjd1981?

I only ask due to having similar issues...two of my full grown Pekin Ducks went missing overnight. I live in Central Florida.

I've seen Hawks/owls, but never had any issues w/ them before. A lack of rain has me curious about my 1/2 acre pond. So, currently watching it w/ my 22 rifle to see if anything swims out to sun itself. Such as a alligator or large snapping turtle.

I do have one potential predator I saw driving last week about a mile from my home. A panther crossed the highway as I was leaving for work. That's definitely something that could make a duck disappear, but haven't found any tracks to suggest otherwise.