Missing duck overnight

[FuzzyDuck]

On Monday morning, I went to feed the ducks and chickens, and one of my ducks is missing. No real signs of a struggle, the other ducks didn’t seem worked up, no pile of feathers or anything, just gone. The ducks refuse to sleep inside now that it’s spring, and all last summer they slept in the yard with no issues: they have a pond to escape to, and are pretty alert. But I know it’s risky letting them be out.



We’ve looked everywhere. I assume she got cornered/chased and a predator got her — would a fox take a Cayuga and leave without a trace? Why wouldn’t the fox or other predator have come back for more yet? Do they wait a while? For some reason I thought they’d keep coming each day if they’ve realized they can catch a duck easily…but no one else is missing yet. I guess it’s just a matter of time??



Is it possible that my duck has gone broody and is hiding somewhere? I’ve looked hard and it’s been a couple days, so probably not, but we have several acres and some small bushes and tree clumps… What signs should I look for, where do ducks like to nest? How frequently would she need to come out for water/food?



We’ve been free ranging, but we’ll set up our electric fencing to try to keep the rest safe. Just sad and keep hoping she’ll somehow show up again…

 

[FuzzyDuck]

Finally managed to herd all of them into the chicken coop for the night! We’ll get working on a longer term solution, but good for tonight.

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

I made that mistake with a chicken and found her a year laterdead.....she had gone broody behind some hay bales and I think she got stuck

 

[Miss Lydia]

Please lock your other ducks up at night, they may not like it but they will be alive come morning

 

[TheOddOneOut]

On Monday morning, I went to feed the ducks and chickens, and one of my ducks is missing. No real signs of a struggle, the other ducks didn’t seem worked up, no pile of feathers or anything, just gone. The ducks refuse to sleep inside now that it’s spring, and all last summer they slept in the yard with no issues: they have a pond to escape to, and are pretty alert. But I know it’s risky letting them be out.



We’ve looked everywhere. I assume she got cornered/chased and a predator got her — would a fox take a Cayuga and leave without a trace? Why wouldn’t the fox or other predator have come back for more yet? Do they wait a while? For some reason I thought they’d keep coming each day if they’ve realized they can catch a duck easily…but no one else is missing yet. I guess it’s just a matter of time??



Is it possible that my duck has gone broody and is hiding somewhere? I’ve looked hard and it’s been a couple days, so probably not, but we have several acres and some small bushes and tree clumps… What signs should I look for, where do ducks like to nest? How frequently would she need to come out for water/food?



We’ve been free ranging, but we’ll set up our electric fencing to try to keep the rest safe. Just sad and keep hoping she’ll somehow show up again…

It's possible she's broody. You probably won't be able to find her if she is, but she may come eat once every day or few days. Watch and see.

 

[Miss Lydia]

A large owl may even be able to pick up a Cayuga and fly off if she wasn't very heavy. You'll need to look under brush piles and anything else she could have climbed under if broody. I had a Muscovy that somehow managed to get under the ramp going into their coop she had to do the limbo to get under it. When my ducks are broody they usually only come out 1X a day and if you are not out it's easy to miss them since they eat swim and get right back to brooding. Definitely not a good idea to let them stay out overnight.

 

[SilverBirds]

I had a fox take all four of my cayugas without a trace, save be a tiny pile of feathers. An owl will also swoop ducks up without a trace. Also, check every possible place for a broody nest.

 

[FuzzyDuck]

Thanks everyone I’ve looked pretty thoroughly again this afternoon and still no sign of her. I’ll keep looking!!
Hoping my other ducks are safe.

 

[ruthhope]

Finally managed to herd all of them into the chicken coop for the night! We’ll get working on a longer term solution, but good for tonight.

They will get used to the new routine and it will become easier to get them in.

I had delinquent drakes earlier this year and ended up waiting until just before dark -- I would be in the yard with them, hosing down my patio and the like, really worried about predators -- before they would eventually go in. Then I changed sleeping arrangements when I got an additional drake. Two pekin drakes each have their own dog crate and two muscovy chose their spot but one always goes up on a cabinet and the other sleeps on the floor infront of the pekins.

Now, I pick up the loudest of the pekin drakes, and pop him into the coop door -- he toddles over and goes into his dog crate. Meanwhile, the second pekin comes over on his own -- responding to the shouting from the first one -- and goes straight into his crate . Before I can get out of the coop, the muscovy who sleeps high is in and often the fourth drake. If the fourth isn't in (he's been stumbled over a couple of times and has enough sense now to avoid my feet when I am walking backwards) he's waiting outside and goes in straight away when I get out of the coop. This evening, I was going out, and I put loud pekin inside at 5pm. The others all followed suit. Quite remarkable the change from earlier in the year.

I'm sure your ducks, too, FuzzyDuck will quickly learn they sleep in the chicken coop!

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Hopefully your duck comes back.