Ohmygod no...missing duck. :(

[aduckstolemyheart]

Just got back from another 2 hour search around the grounds and the neighborhood. So far no luck.

I was hoping when the others came out this morning she'd show up, but no luck. My daughter, bless her heart, is making "Lost" signs for the neighborhood with her picture on it.

We do have a detached garage here, that has an old nonworking car and some storage in it, and there are planty of places she could be hiding, but why would she have not come out yet?

I think we're all gearing up for the fact that some freak air predator showed up and got her. But I haven't lost all hope yet...

The most we ever have in this area is an occasional hawk, and they haven't given us trouble before. Are they big enough to just take a large Saxony hen without a hint of feathers or anything and not rile up the rest of the flock?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I wouldn't think a hawk could carry off a large duck, especially with out some kind of evidence, or the rest not making some kind of noise. What about going off to nest? is she at that age where she might be broody, and in that area you just described?

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

It's possible. The thought HAD crossed my mind. She's about 1.5-2 y/o I think. I had noticed that one of the two hens had slowed down their lays as several mornings we only had one egg. However, neither of them showed interest in sitting on any of the eggs that they hid in the straw a while back. (I found a stash of 5 eggs buried and hidden at the back of the coop when I cleaned it)

But at this point I really can't rule anything out. I'll go out again in a couple hours and search again. I hardly slept at all last night.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I bet you didn't, hopefully you'll find her today, I'll be thinking of you and praying for a great out come. One of my girls disappeared one time, I called my husband crying I just knew a predator had gotten her, She was missing for a whole day, then the next morning here she comes out from under my husbands work shop building, It is so low to the ground I don't know how she got under it, but hopefully yours has done the same.

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

Thanks for your posts and for the ray of hope. I really need it right now! Hearing your story makes me feel like maybe, just maybe, she'll come home. Thank you so much.

 

[Miss Lydia]

 

[Snowboy]

I just lost my duck yesterday!! It was snowing and very cold just as you are dealing with and I found she squeezed under the duck house I had quite the time trying to get her out my biggest duck 20 POUNDS got her little butt under the 4 inch duck house haha. GOOD LUCK!

 

[desertdarlene]

Any chance that something could have gotten in and out of the duck house without you noticing like a raccoon? Just wondering, not that it happened, just a thought. I really think she's just hiding out somewhere.

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

I can see how the pen COULD be breeched, but I have been over every inch of it, and there's not a trace of a ground predator. And the other birds seem way too calm to have had an intruder in the pen. Matter of fact, today, none of them will leave the pen at all. Not sure if it's the snow or if something else is bothering them.

It was still light outside when it happened too and the coons around here are NEVER out during the day. I feel quite confident that if it were a predator it would have had to have been an air predator. I did see a large hawk the other day but passed right through the neighborhood and didn't stop. But that does show they are in the area.

We're sure hoping she's holed up somewhere and will show up soon, but she has to be hungry and I can't imagine her not showing for feed by tonight.

There's one more little thing to add this whole story. I just drove around and talked to our neighbor, and he stated the other day he chased some guy off the end of our property who was headed for my ducks with a dog carrier. My neighbor informed the guy that those ducks belonged to me, and were not wild, and he needed to leave them the heck alone. Hasn't seen the guy since, but I'm worried nonetheless. Could someone have STOLEN my duck???

 

[Miss Lydia]

Why would the guy be on your property with a dog crate if he wasn't out for no good? That could be your answer if you don't find her. Did the neighbor notice a car or what the man looked like? I am still hoping shes hiding out somewhere.