- Oct 29, 2014
- 3
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I had 6 sweedish blue ducks. As of bird bedtime, I'm down to three. Two went missing just before easter and another went missing tonight. All the girls. The two males and the lone remaining female were paitently waiting to be put to bed this evening. I assumed a predator got the first two. But now that a third has gone missing on a day when I was outside working in the yard all day and didn't hear/see any commotion I'm wondering if they're off somewhere sitting on eggs. Also, they don't act like they were attacked.. Not skittish or anything, do not seem traumatized and no visible injuries on any remaining ducks. They're all under a year old and they began laying eggs around january 1st. I think I got them in June? Yes.. June 21, 2014 the postman called and told me to pick the little quackers up 
My ducks have a creek that they spend most of their time in which is bordered by the yard and a bamboo forest. No fences, they just run about being ducks and never really wander far. I haven't heard or seen any of the missing girls at all but I have noticed the ducks laying their eggs in hiding spots. Like under a piece of roofing tin, and in a hole under a pile of rotten logs. They have been generally sneaky the past few weeks hanging around said hidey holes. However an extensive search showed no signs of ducks or feathers or anything.
I also have 9 chickens and none of those have gone missing. They lay their eggs in their chicken houses and range in the same way the ducks do with the only difference being they don't cross the creek or even drink from it (they prefer a mountain spring for their water). One of those 9 chickens is a gimpy rooster who is somewhat slow with his very deformed foot and spends a lot of his time sitting. He's off to the pot soon but I would assume him to be easier prey than the much larger and much healthier ducks.
Should I hold out hope that the missing ducks will re-appear with ducklings in tow? Or rather, if they are off setting on eggs, is this how that normally goes down? Unfenced, free ranging female ducks that disappear for a while only to return with their brood?
Thanks!
David in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina.
My ducks have a creek that they spend most of their time in which is bordered by the yard and a bamboo forest. No fences, they just run about being ducks and never really wander far. I haven't heard or seen any of the missing girls at all but I have noticed the ducks laying their eggs in hiding spots. Like under a piece of roofing tin, and in a hole under a pile of rotten logs. They have been generally sneaky the past few weeks hanging around said hidey holes. However an extensive search showed no signs of ducks or feathers or anything.
I also have 9 chickens and none of those have gone missing. They lay their eggs in their chicken houses and range in the same way the ducks do with the only difference being they don't cross the creek or even drink from it (they prefer a mountain spring for their water). One of those 9 chickens is a gimpy rooster who is somewhat slow with his very deformed foot and spends a lot of his time sitting. He's off to the pot soon but I would assume him to be easier prey than the much larger and much healthier ducks.
Should I hold out hope that the missing ducks will re-appear with ducklings in tow? Or rather, if they are off setting on eggs, is this how that normally goes down? Unfenced, free ranging female ducks that disappear for a while only to return with their brood?
Thanks!
David in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina.
