- Mar 10, 2011
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So we lost our first duck
Not sure what it was so I'm asking for help from you guys. I had two ducks (a pekin and a mix around 9lbs) living in my fenced backyard. I live in a subdivision in town. The fence is 4ft chain link all the way around. I have chickens in an enclosure and the ducks just hang out in the yard. The chickens have been there about two years. The ducks for about 8 months with no problems. Predators I have seen in the area are: Coyote, dog, cat, raccoon, opossum, and owl. The neighboring dogs could care less about the ducks and couldn't get to the attack site without being let in the fence. The only cat that comes into the yard quit coming in after being chased by my drake and resorted to hanging out front. I haven't seen signs of raccoon. I accidentally left the trash out a couple of nights prior and it wasn't disturbed at all and raccoons love trash!
Here's what we found. My mix drake was missing his head and neck. The rest of the body was pretty much undisturbed. One area near the pool where we think the attack started had a few feathers pulled out. About three feet from there was a small pool of blood. Maybe a tablespoon or two. Then about six feet from there we found the body. It had been dragged under the steps of my deck and there was no blood around it at all. We searched the yard and the neighbors searched theirs and we haven't found any other signs of attack or the head/neck. If the head was around I think one of our dogs would have found it by now.
O, I'm located in Mid-Missouri. We also have fox, hawk, mink, weasel, bobcat, mountain lion and an occasional black bear (not that I've ever seen one) and some others I'm sure I forgot.
Anyone have experience with this kind of kill know what it was?
We are looking into game cameras and live traps. Until we can build a secure enclosure in the yard, we've turned the enclosed back porch into a waterfowl aviary
Here's what we found. My mix drake was missing his head and neck. The rest of the body was pretty much undisturbed. One area near the pool where we think the attack started had a few feathers pulled out. About three feet from there was a small pool of blood. Maybe a tablespoon or two. Then about six feet from there we found the body. It had been dragged under the steps of my deck and there was no blood around it at all. We searched the yard and the neighbors searched theirs and we haven't found any other signs of attack or the head/neck. If the head was around I think one of our dogs would have found it by now.
O, I'm located in Mid-Missouri. We also have fox, hawk, mink, weasel, bobcat, mountain lion and an occasional black bear (not that I've ever seen one) and some others I'm sure I forgot.
Anyone have experience with this kind of kill know what it was?
We are looking into game cameras and live traps. Until we can build a secure enclosure in the yard, we've turned the enclosed back porch into a waterfowl aviary
