Help please - figuring out what I'm dealing with...Be-headed duck.

[chubbydog811]

I lost only 1 duck this morning. First I will say, they have a coop, but are not locked up at night (they will be from now on though).
Things you should know:
First - there is a rather large hole in the top/side of the manure pile. About 7-10" around.
Second - killed only one duck. Ate his head down to his chest, and left everything else.
The rest of my poor ducks are traumatized and haven't come out of their coop all day.


Any idea what I have? I'm planning on setting a have-a-heart trap out to see what I can get, but I'm not sure what to bait it with.


Thanks!

 

[dsqard]

I have read that many different predators will do this. Mainly raccoon, weasels and mink. I would guess raccoon though since it was only one duck. So sorry for your loss

 

[chubbydog811]

Would a raccoon den in a manure pile though??

Thanks!

 

[chickenaddictntn]

Bait it whith chicken skin or a can of potted meat just take the lid off and push it to the back. Possums and cats do this also. I had a possum take three chickens heads in one night, then later I found that it was leaving scat on top of the hen house. Got that booger w/ a live trap also. Hope this helps

 

[chubbydog811]

Alright, I will try that! When my neighbor gets home, I will see about borrowing his have-a-heart trap, and see what I get! Will just have to make sure to lock up my cats tonight...I'm actually really hoping it's not a skunk...I don't want to be the one to dispose of it!

I have 2 barn cats, and many neighbor cats, but I don't think the cat would make a den in our poop pile? There was a blood trail leading towards that area, so that is why I strongly believe the killing and the hole are related!

 

[Wild Trapper]

I started my own thread the other day about something doing the very same thing to a chicken. So far i have caught a possum and a skunk in my live trap. I didn't know possums would kill a chicken, but since a skunk is in the weasel family the skunk might have. A possum might live in a manure pile, don't know if a skunk would or not. Good luck catching whatever it is. Let us know what you catch. I used the left over parts of the dead chicken for bait.

 

[chkn]

Oh those possums are bad news. I'm guessing possum here also.

 

[chubbydog811]

Thanks!
I would use the duck, but it's been so cold, that he was frozen solid

Not much good that will do!
I have a silky that I butchered last fall - not much use other than a bowl of soup

so I will probably thaw him out and use him as bait...Just set it when I go out for evening milking...

Just curious - how did you "dispose of" the skunk? If I actually catch one, I don't know how to get rid of it!!
I've heard they will spray if you try to shoot them, but wouldn't they do the same if you pick up the trap and drop it in, oh say, a can of water?

 

[ilovebuffs]

I have found this chart and it has helped me greatly...

What Killed My Chickens?

Clues Animal

Several birds killed; mauled but not eaten Dog


Several birds killed; lots of small bites on body, bodies neatly piled, some heads eaten Mink or Weasel


Several birds killed; heads and crops eaten Raccoon


One or two birds killed; mauled, abdomen eaten Opossum


One bird killed; head eaten Hawk


Several birds disappeared, no trace Humans


Missing limbs, birds inside fence Raccoon


One or more birds dead / missing; no more than one removed; pile of feathers; those not removed with broken necks, clumps of feathers taken from neck

Fox

Chicks killed; abdomen eaten, lingering smell Skunk



I hope it helps you too. So Sorry

 

[Wild Trapper]

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