New preditor problem

[Anne 671]

I have had 2 ducks disappear since Nov. with no trace. Last week something started to poke a hole in the end of eggs laid outside and remove content of eggs. Then my Peking female refused to go in shelter at night and in the morning all that was left was blood and some feathers. Is a fox the only one to carry off their prey ? Had heard a vixen 2 days prior. Any advice is welcome. Trying to find a pair of geese for protection ( African, Chinese or Roman) or some fertile eggs. Thank you for any help you might have.

 

[casportpony]

So sorry for your losses. We have geese, and I lose fowl to foxes & raccoons, so I wouldn't suggest going that route. Can you post some pictures of your setup?

 

[My Bagurks]

I have had raccoons attempt to carry carcasses away but they got caught in the chicken wire. Foxes definitely will. But both left A LOT of evidence of a struggle. Neither killed the chickens outright where the attack began. I’ve follows trails into the woods. Even when things happened in the coop.
Would a big enough snake do this?
I’m not sure what else honestly.

 

[My Bagurks]

Trails of feathers**

 

[Miss Lydia]

Coyotes will grab and run with their prey we have them here but thank goodness they have never gotten into our fencing. i have geese too and honestly they are not a deterrent to predators.
Very sorry for your loss.
Please put all your poultry up before dark. Even if they complain they don't want to. It's for their own good.

 

[ruthhope]

So sad to lose your ducks to predators. Poor wee ducks; I feel your pain, Anne 671

I have stubborn ducks -- muscovies -- that will not go into the coop until the very last light has gone from the sky. I have to turn off the houselights in the rooms at the back, to reduce the light!! They are just so stubborn. But I won't leave them outside the coop at night, even if I am hanging around in the cold and dark begging them to go inside!!! [Tonight, for the first time in weeks, they went in before dark!!! I had that door shut and locked double quick and then went to get water to hose down the patio and refill their water pots, a task I usually do before they will go in!]