Lost all of my ducks last night :(

[charlindabob]

If you try again, consider an electric fence. Not hard to set up and will deter coons and other varmits too.

 

[cafarmgirl]

I am so sorry for your loss

. If you decide to get ducks again, a predator proof pen is:

5 foot high fencing, and put 2 feet high hardwire cloth around the bottom of the fencing. Have strong netting over top, and concrete slabs going all around the outside of the pen.

Raccoons will climb up and go right through any kind of netting as well, hardware cloth or welded wire is about all that will keep them out.

 

[Joan71]

I live in a neighborhood so we aren't too concerned about bears. We do have raccoons and foxes though. Our mom and dad ducks had been in this pen for almost a year with no problems. I guess once the predators realized they were there all bets were off. I did find mama but none of the babies. I've lost various pets before, flushed fish down the drain, etc.. but our sweet Bryce, I had to find a soft towel to wrap her in before burying her. Nasty old raccoons. I may get some knarley rat traps to put by the garbage cans... I told my 9 year old son. He thinks Bryce probably got away since she can fly. I'm letting him believe that. One kid left to tell. I wish I could have protected them. If I hadn't had the TV on in my room I probably would have heard something and gone out there. Their pen is right outside my bedroom window. I knew when they didn't start quacking after my duck quack alarm this morning that something was wrong.

Just glad I found the mama and not one of my kids. She was not really damaged except that whatever it was took her head off and it layed right by her body. Too sad.

Not to add to your grief. Here is what I have been able to learn about raccoons. They can get into small places that we think they couldn't. Their claws are really sharp and will cut through chicken wire like a pair of wire cutters. If chickens etc are placed in pens with chain link fence, the raccoon will pull the chicken through the link hole, if they can't get the bird out of the pen all the way, they will kill it, take what they can and leave. I am using a large dog pen made from chain link fence, l lined it with chicken wire and put the hardcloth around the bottom as it instructs here. I am in a neighborhood and I have to keep a close watch on the stray tom cats. They get hungry, find my backyard and I suddenly have problems. Give yourself some time to grieve, then get yourself some more, just reinforce your pen. Good luck...

 

[Finny]

Raccoons will climb up and go right through any kind of netting as well, hardware cloth or welded wire is about all that will keep them out. 

Wow I never knew racoons could climb fences. Racoons are nocturnal though right? So if the ducks are put in a duck house a night they should be safe from racoons?

 

[cafarmgirl]

Wow I never knew racoons could climb fences. Racoons are nocturnal though right? So if the ducks are put in a duck house a night they should be safe from racoons?

Technically....yes to all! Coon's are excellent climbers and they do generally prefer to move about at night. I have lots of raccoons around here, I've never seen one out in the daytime but that doesn't mean it couldn't happen. My run is not predator proof but it's in an area with a lot of human traffic during the daytime. My birds are locked in very secure coops at night.

 

[Finny]

Technically....yes to all!  Coon's are excellent climbers and they do generally prefer to move about at night.  I have lots of raccoons around here, I've never seen one out in the daytime but that doesn't mean it couldn't happen.  My run is not predator proof but it's in an area with a lot of human traffic during the daytime.  My birds are locked in very secure coops at night.

I have a secure house for mine as well . I am now worried about my ducks during the day after hearing that coons can climb . I am probably over-reacting though if coons are nocturnal.

 

[lilearthquake]

Can't say how sorry I am. I've experienced two losses and know the sadness and guilt I felt. Painful learning experiences, yes. I hope you can continue with a new lil brood when you are ready.

 

[Amiga]

I have a secure house for mine as well

. I am now worried about my ducks during the day after hearing that coons can climb

. I am probably over-reacting though if coons are nocturnal.

The risk increases if you cannot get them into their very secure shelter in the evening. I have rarely seen coons out in the day. Here, though, we have foxes, so I have fence across the top of the day pen. The day pen is only about a meter high. So a fox could jump over it - that's why the lid.

 

[Going Quackers]

Technically coons are night time preds but they don't read the books.. so it's always possible to have a day time attack. I free range the majority of the flock , so a risky venture.. i won't lie and say i am not grateful each night when all are accounted for.

 

[Carcajou]

Technically coons are night time preds but they don't read the books.. so it's always possible to have a day time attack. I free range the majority of the flock , so a risky venture.. i won't lie and say i am not grateful each night when all are accounted for.

X2. Coons are primarily night time predators but I have seen plenty of them during the day over years and years of spending time in the woods and living in a farming area.

Sorry for your loss, shandani.