Male ducks fighting - or predator?

[Sjanel74]

Hello! We have a bachelor pen with three drakes that we hatched ourselves. They’ve always been harmonious, but yesterday in the morning our big boy, Kingsley, was missing some feathers. Then this morning he was all bloody . Could the boys be fighting at night? We have three duck hens in the adjacent pen. Or does this seem more like a small predator got into the boys’ pen and they tussled? My daughter is beside herself. We have separated Kingsley for now. Our ducks are all about 8 months old.

 

[indianaducks]

Is that wire side of the pen open to predators at night? I can't tell from the pic but it seems like predators could reach through and try to get to your ducks?

 

[Isadora]

Sorry about your duck.
Can you post pictures of where the blood came from? Depending on how the wound looks it might be easier to tell if it was from a tussle with another drake or from a predator.
I am more inclined to think predator. Ducks can't see well at night and if you haven't noticed them fighting during the day, I think a fight at night would be unlikely.

 

[Sjanel74]

Hi, thank you both for responding. I just tried to get a pic but he’s not cooperating and I’m the only one here. The bigger wound appears to be under his wing on his body. Just curious though, what kind of predator would attack a duck… and lose? And why would it attack the biggest duck and not the others?

The fencing in the pic is open to our large enclosed coop with chickens and female ducks.

Not sure what to do next. I can certainly lock the boys in at night but if the other ducks are the ones who hurt him, that could be a death sentence for him.

 

[indianaducks]

I’m not sure then. Hopefully someone else has some ideas to help you!

 

[sourland]

I'd put the drakes back together and closely monitor their behavior. I lean towards the drakes fighting/attempting to breed one another.

 

[Isadora]

Hi, thank you both for responding. I just tried to get a pic but he’s not cooperating and I’m the only one here. The bigger wound appears to be under his wing on his body. Just curious though, what kind of predator would attack a duck… and lose? And why would it attack the biggest duck and not the others?

The fencing in the pic is open to our large enclosed coop with chickens and female ducks.

Not sure what to do next. I can certainly lock the boys in at night but if the other ducks are the ones who hurt him, that could be a death sentence for him.

Do you have cameras you could set up to figure out what was going on?

 

[fatty and friends]

when drakes fight they would be losing neck feathers, looks like a predator attacked him

 

[Sjanel74]

Do you have cameras you could set up to figure out what was going on?

Unfortunately I don't, I'd have to buy some.

I have never seen any aggression with the boys, nor has my daughter who spends more time hanging out with them. I would be shocked if the other boys were attacking him, but there is no signs of a predator entering their pen, either, unless it was something very small like a rat! Ugh.

 

[Isadora]

Unfortunately I don't, I'd have to buy some.

I have never seen any aggression with the boys, nor has my daughter who spends more time hanging out with them. I would be shocked if the other boys were attacking him, but there is no signs of a predator entering their pen, either, unless it was something very small like a rat! Ugh.

Is it possible he injured himself on the pen somehow? Any nails or screws, any sharp edges?