Khaki Campbell duck 'Splashy' disappearance

[Mackie n chicks]

I live in Scotland so trying to protect the rest of my ducks and chickens. Splashy my wee Khaki Campbell duck disappeared yesterday - not a body or feather was in sight! I've not seen a fox about but it is possible, does anyone know if feral cats can just 'take' a duck? We've seen one of those about. Has anyone any ideas? She's definitely one to just take off for a jaunt, she was scared of her own shadow and usually stuck with the larger ducks for protection. She was the smallest of the ducks which is probably what the predator was looking for. We're so upset! We found the other ducks waiting and calling for her so we knew something had happended.

 

[Free Feather]

A cat definitely could have snatched up an itty Khaki. Do you keep your birds entirely free range with no secure night house, with a secure night house while roaming fence-less in the day, or with a secure night house and in a fence in the day?

 

[Mackie n chicks]

Hi - our ducks have a duck house at night and are locked in with food and water. They are let out into the garden free range, but at the moment we have to leave them in the dark to go to work at around 7.30 am. There is a fence around the garden but only a the local farmers wood fence, nothing special. We have had our ducks for 2 years and none of them have ever even tried to get out of the garden, it would be very difficult for them to get through the fence. Splashy was always very skittish and stayed around the larger Cherry Valley ducks so she was safer. On the morning she disappeared she was still laying in the hut and the others walked up the hill together. So she would have gone to follow them afterwards, but she would have been alone. I assume this could have been when she may have been taken, something could have been watching. We're just mystified what could have taken her without any fuss or feathers, like she didn't have time to put up a fight. Poor wee Splashy, we are still very upset.

 

[Free Feather]

Hi - our ducks have a duck house at night and are locked in with food and water. They are let out into the garden free range, but at the moment we have to leave them in the dark to go to work at around 7.30 am. There is a fence around the garden but only a the local farmers wood fence, nothing special. We have had our ducks for 2 years and none of them have ever even tried to get out of the garden, it would be very difficult for them to get through the fence. Splashy was always very skittish and stayed around the larger Cherry Valley ducks so she was safer. On the morning she disappeared she was still laying in the hut and the others walked up the hill together. So she would have gone to follow them afterwards, but she would have been alone. I assume this could have been when she may have been taken, something could have been watching. We're just mystified what could have taken her without any fuss or feathers, like she didn't have time to put up a fight. Poor wee Splashy, we are still very upset.

What is a Cherry Valley duck? I do not believe I have ever heard of that before.

 

[Mackie n chicks]

Hi sorry for the slow response - we have two Cherry Valley ducks - they are like Aylesbury's but a bit smaller - very clever and are at the moment very protective over 'Cocoa' the last khaki campbell we have!