My ducks and chickens vanished

[Amber4682]

At my moms farm we are losing are ducks and chickens left and right. Mostly at night. No trace of the duck or chicken just vanished into thin air. No trace of wild animal. Farm is in Embarrass MN. Any suggestions on what it is? What to do? Are birds are free range we dont lock them up. We have 3 dogs. One stays outside at night. Losing multiple at a time . Did kill you bobcat couple weeks ago

 

[coleco]

Fox/Bobcat

Free ranging doesn't have to mean they are completely free at all times. Free ranging for many means they get several hours to range a day and are safe in a closed coop at night. Chickens are absolutely helpless in the dark anything can simply walk up and grab them.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Fox/Bobcat

Free ranging doesn't have to mean they are completely free at all times. Free ranging for many means they get several hours to range a day and are safe in a closed coop at night. Chickens are absolutely helpless in the dark anything can simply walk up and grab them.

x 1000

I know my first chickens were going to bed on the fence rail and I would have to go put them in the coop. It was like picking apples. No one moved until grabbed and then it was only the one that was grabbed that did anything at all.
My current chickens are nearly comatose after dark. I can walk in and grab even the most flighty of my hens with no problem. It makes checking for mites or lice super easy but also makes them an extremely easy target.

 

[ivan3]

Lock them in somewhere pred proof at night, or you won't have any worries about more missing poultry as there'll be none left to fret over.

You could sit out there, with them, dusk to dawn.

If the ducks are being taken from around pond you'll have to set traps. For the chooks? Lock them down at night, at the very least. Hopeful it is a bobcat as they tend to a more nocturnal schedule than do fox - which can wipe out a free range flock at whatever time seems the most opportune.