Help! Losing Ducks!

[Daddyfeathers]

Aliens? Any ideas,have lost 5 ducks the past 5 nights. They are free ranging on a 4 acre pond. They stay close to the house. Edge of water at nite. Have only found 1 carcass. No feathers around for fresh kill anywhere. Have taken otters out,not sure if there is more. Bocats? Fox? No coyotes around. Would pen them up at night but they refuse that. Any help...

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Penning them securely seems your only option even if they don’t like it for their own good.
Round here for me in UK foxes are the biggest killer. Once they know birds are there for the taking they are back each night religiously.

 

[Penpal]

When I had ducks I would bait them into the enclosure with their feed. They come in to the enclosure at dusk and get locked in. They were safe on the pond, but when they would come out to rest, a raccoon or fox might be waiting. They will fly out, so either a coop or or overhead netting is necessary. They will complain, but they will be fine.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

I’m so sorry
The only way to save the rest is locking them in a safe place at night
Ducks don’t like change but once they see they are safe and can sleep without fear they will get use to it and appreciate the safety
May take a little while just be consistent

 

[Daddyfeathers]

Penning them securely seems your only option even if they don’t like it for their own good.
Round here for me in UK foxes are the biggest killer. Once they know birds are there for the taking they are back each night religiously.

Yea going to have to tempt them with there favorite. Grapes. Have lost enough.

 

[Daddyfeathers]

 

[Daddyfeathers]

Have a cozy pen they were raised in. My Wife hatched them so not to happy.
Setting traps tonite. Otter mainly since they have been a problem in the past.

 

[Daddyfeathers]

Penning them securely seems your only option even if they don’t like it for their own good.
Round here for me in UK foxes are the biggest killer. Once they know birds are there for the taking they are

Have a cozy pen they were raised in. My Wife hatched them so not to happy.
Setting traps tonite. Otter mainly since they have been a problem in the past.

 

[Daddyfeathers]

Well Managed to get the duckies in there pen. Was one hold out. Pekin Male. Finally got him wrangled in. Think the culprit might be a Owl. Is that possible for them to take Rouns and Kakkis without a trace?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

How goes it with penning the ducks at night? Did you catch an otter or are they protected? Did not know an otter would eat ducks. I've heard owls will eat just the head off a bird. Don't know if they can carry off a big bird, would not think so. Hey, Google!