help..i am very puzzled..

[animalloverabh]

.. this morning there was my silkie sitting on some duck eggs and peacock eggs, i just went up there to check on them and hen and eggs where gone! i see fethers everywhere but no broken eggshell...

a similar thing happened a couple of weeks back, 5 of my hens disappeared - 2 silkies and 3 RIRS. 2 of my silkies disappeared as well there was feathers all over

what could be taking them? how can i prevent this? and wouldn't there be some broken eggs? all 15 eggs went? no animal could surely take this many in one go..could they? well no animal in england at least..

there was also some feathers in the duck pen.. no missing ducks...just feathers?

 

[aprophet]

http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/mammal-forums/3191-wild-mink.html

this is pretty interesting reading I did not realize you folks had mink over there , eggs just gone are ussally snakes maybe multiple preds ??

 

[animalloverabh]

a mink gave one of may call ducks brain damage a while ago..so yeah we have minks here...

the only snakes i think are in Britain are adders and grass snakes, could one of these take 15 eggs in one go?

 

[Thamnophis]

No, neither could eat anywhere near that many eggs. Matter of fact, I don't think either even eats eggs, do they? Grass snakes feed mainly on cold blooded prey - frogs, fish, etc and adders are small rodent feeders as adults I think.

 

[babyblue]

my first thought was a few hungry dogs, scared the mamma off and then slurped the eggs straight up. second thought was a human who knows that peacock and duck babies are valuable and made off with all the eggs and the convenient incubator.

 

[Dogfish]

Predator proof your coop and run at the first sign of any trouble. Sorry for your loss, but it continues to amaze me when folks have an intrusion into their coop, they suffer a loss, and then nothing is done to prevent it. Hopefully someone can learn from your inaction.

If you have pics of the coop and run, we can help make it better for you and your birds. Worry less about what it was, and more about improving security.

 

[Rammy]

I would wonder if its human predators. Could be. Or, maybe a fox. I had four RIR's disappear too, just found feathers in most cases. One other case, one was missing its head, another, just found the head and a wing. I would get a game camera and set up in a discreet area to see whats coming around at night. You might be suprised.


Rammy

 

[animalloverabh]

i dont think it would be dogs as i have my own dog out there and the neighbors dogs will bark if they hear strangers come close...i have a camera out there but id doesn't record....here are some pictures
here is there half an acre field

here is the chicken pen..they are allowed out of it its just this is were all the water ends up

its not like that anymore