Lost all of my ducks last night :(

[allenk44]

Sorry for ur loss hope u get some more babies

 

[knightie]

I meant to say this earlier, but I'm so sorry you and your kids at having to deal with this.

Yeah, as hard as it is to think about doing again. For my ducks, they have their day pen and then a house I made myself, that is on stilts (g) but its solid with multiple locks. Like I said, daytime they have a large open pen ( chickens hop fence to free range.) I have a Great Dane that watches out for the birds. And even a cat that stops the younger cats from messing with the chickens or ducks.

 

[Amiga]

 

[Learningstill]

Foxes can climb too. Watch this video.... So creepy that predators can do so much to get our babies and our babies do so little to protect themselves. This video only shows a fox climbing. Thought it might be helpful for people to see how well they climb.

 

[shandani]

Thanks all. I guess I thought after so long with no problems that our pen was safe.They predator got in at the only place that didn't have a wood or thick metal mess. My oldest daughter checked on them at 12:30 and they were fine. By 6 am they were gone. My kids are sad, I'm sad, I had no idea when we incubated eggs a year ago that we would be so attached to birds. I've never even liked birds but I sure loved our ducks, especially sweet Bryce, the mama.

 

[Going Quackers]

Thanks all. I guess I thought after so long with no problems that our pen was safe.They predator got in at the only place that didn't have a wood or thick metal mess. My oldest daughter checked on them at 12:30 and they were fine. By 6 am they were gone. My kids are sad, I'm sad, I had no idea when we incubated eggs a year ago that we would be so attached to birds. I've never even liked birds but I sure loved our ducks, especially sweet Bryce, the mama.

Sadly, your not alone with that.. almost a calm before the storm type situation. Again, your sense of loss and anger is well placed but do consider trying again, unfortunately, the best method is hope for the best, plan for the worst.

 

[Going Quackers]

Foxes can climb too. Watch this video.... So creepy that predators can do so much to get our babies and our babies do so little to protect themselves. This video only shows a fox climbing. Thought it might be helpful for people to see how well they climb.

There as agile as a gymnast. Good reference video to show capabilities.

 

[BooBoo45]

I'm so sorry for you Shandani. I lost my ducks nearly a month ago now, and I'm still coming to terms with it. Ducks very quickly become part of your family, especially when you hand rear them. They really do have characters and personalities. For the first time in 14 years I'm duckless and I have gone through so many emotions these past weeks - some of which have surprised me with the strength behind them.

Other than the loss, I struggled mostly with the anger and hate I felt towards another person in my case (a neighbour's dogs killed our ducks) but as time has moved on that has slowly dispelled. I think what I have recognised is that I'm grieving - as much as I would for the lost of a friend. I've found that talking and writing about those feelings helped, sharing the pain I felt with others, and I don't think a day has gone by without me crying at some point. But I also think that is important too - to recognise the loss, feelings are all part of being human and they are there for a reason. It is hard when kids are involved but in my experience they get over it quicker than you will. As hard as it is death is part of life and learning to deal with it and your feelings are healthy and positive ways of moving forward, and for them growing up. Don't try and cover up your own sadness from them, let them see that it is Ok to grieve the loss of something they loved.

Only you know if you will have ducks again - but they leave a hole in your heart when you lose them and I genuinely feel the best way to deal with an empty garden is to fill it again. As others have said, make sure you have a predator proof pen and let your kids help plan and build it that. Let them learn from this as that is good experience growing up . All positive steps in moving forward. As far as I'm concerned, having more ducks in your garden wandering around and having a 'chat' is a little bit of heaven here on earth and you deserve that happiness now too.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'm so sorry for you Shandani. I lost my ducks nearly a month ago now, and I'm still coming to terms with it. Ducks very quickly become part of your family, especially when you hand rear them. They really do have characters and personalities. For the first time in 14 years I'm duckless and I have gone through so many emotions these past weeks - some of which have surprised me with the strength behind them.

Other than the loss, I struggled mostly with the anger and hate I felt towards another person in my case (a neighbour's dogs killed our ducks) but as time has moved on that has slowly dispelled. I think what I have recognised is that I'm grieving - as much as I would for the lost of a friend. I've found that talking and writing about those feelings helped, sharing the pain I felt with others, and I don't think a day has gone by without me crying at some point. But I also think that is important too - to recognise the loss, feelings are all part of being human and they are there for a reason. It is hard when kids are involved but in my experience they get over it quicker than you will. As hard as it is death is part of life and learning to deal with it and your feelings are healthy and positive ways of moving forward, and for them growing up. Don't try and cover up your own sadness from them, let them see that it is Ok to grieve the loss of something they loved.

Only you know if you will have ducks again - but they leave a hole in your heart when you lose them and I genuinely feel the best way to deal with an empty garden is to fill it again. As others have said, make sure you have a predator proof pen and let your kids help plan and build it that. Let them learn from this as that is good experience growing up . All positive steps in moving forward. As far as I'm concerned, having more ducks in your garden wandering around and having a 'chat' is a little bit of heaven here on earth and you deserve that happiness now too.

To you also BooBoo45

 

[Lugh]

Thanks, we have a big chocolate lab and he did go out and bark a lot last night. He lives in the house though so he couldn't protect them I think it was probably nasty raccoons. They get in my trash all the time. I may go postal on them tonight and sit out there with a pellet gun.... my kids are 19, 13 and 9. The 19 year old is home for spring break and she knows. She is heartbroken. She took 2 of the babies to school with her when they were tiny for 2 weeks and hid them in her dorm. they were much bigger than the others when she got them back to us because she fed them nonstop to keep them quiet! The others will find out when they get home from school. I just didn't want to send them off to school sad.

The screening was thick trampoline mess but whatever it was go through it. They left no evidence, just took everything. I hate that they were trapped in their cage with whatever got them. At least mama could have flown if she were out of the pen. Poor things

Don't sit out there with a pellet gun. If I read correctly, you live in Florida like me, so sit out there with a Smith and Wesson and you can do what I did when I had a raccoon problem.