Pekin duck and pullets missing

[Lisafitz]

Sorry for the long post but we are so confused as to what could have happened. We had a 4 month old pekin drake who seemed full grown and rather weighty and three almost at point of lay pullets go missing two evenings ago. The flock which includes turkeys ducks and chickens of various ages free range. They all have the ability to fly except for the pekin and one older hen. Two evenings ago we took a trip to the pet shop. Before leaving we closed a fence leaving 3 cockerels in the woods side who had been aggressively pursuing the older non flying hen who was in a completely fenced in part of the yard along with the rest of the flock. It was bright out when we left and still brightish when we returned. We were gone for maybe 45-50 minutes. Upon returning I immediately left the property to walk the dogs but was not too far from the house that I would not have heard some kind of ruckus. Anyway when I got back it was dark and when I went to lock them up 3 pullets 1pekin drake and the the older hen were missing and all the rest of the flock were on their roosts so they must have flown the fence back in. We searched everywhere but could not locate any of them. There was no blood or feathers or any body parts around. The next morning we found the older non flying hen hiding in a ditch in the fenced in yard. Since then she has acted so out of character. She has hidden twice and we have had to pick her up and bring her to the roost. We got rid of the cockerel that was too rough on her but she still acts out of character. Yesterday afternoon one pullet returned also appearing terrified but she had just spent a night in the woods. Anyway my question is any ideas on what could have seamlessly taken a large pekin drake without even dropping a feather? We have had a hawk take a couple of young cockerels a while back but there was chaos with the hawk and feathers and body parts. This was as if something picked them up and carried them off without dropping anything or making a noise. The older hen has been around a few hawk incidents so her sustained fear is so odd. The two other pullets have not returned. We walked the woods and didn’t find anything amiss. There are coyotes here in eastern NC and an odd fox here and there. Of course raccoons too.

 

[Rammy]

Sounds like some sort of predator. Sorry this happened.

 

[lbgreenfield]

I’m so sorry this happened to you, I’ve lost 4 of my hens to a combination of foxes and red tailed hawks and it is awful.

In my experiences with losses like this where there is no trace of feathers, blood, nothing - it’s almost always been a fox.

I’d keep your chickens safe and secure for a while now because now that the fox (or whatever predator did this) knows that there’s easy access food now, they will be back.

 

[Lisafitz]

I’m so sorry this happened to you, I’ve lost 4 of my hens to a combination of foxes and red tailed hawks and it is awful.

In my experiences with losses like this where there is no trace of feathers, blood, nothing - it’s almost always been a fox.

I’d keep your chickens safe and secure for a while now because now that the fox (or whatever predator did this) knows that there’s easy access food now, they will be back.

Thanks. I was thinking maybe that too.

 

[lbgreenfield]

Thanks. I was thinking maybe that too.

Yeah, predators suck! I’d keep your flock safe and secure, the fox/predator will be back for more!

 

[Meredith Brouillette]

In my case, it was a fox. I saw her one night taking one of my hens...my dogs don't seem to mind that fox is walking around the yard :/

 

[Lisafitz]

In my case, it was a fox. I saw her one night taking one of my hens...my dogs don't seem to mind that fox is walking around the yard :/

We had a fox in Virginia who was absolutely relentless! Were your other hens traumatized after? Mine have seen others taken by hawks and resumed normal behavior straight after whereas my oldest hen is traumatized.

 

[nao57]

The animals being shaken up reveals the truth.

It was a predator.

Ducks are less likely to run away than other poultry also. People will tell you sometimes even when their fences are all broken and just for show the ducks will still stay in their pens more than chickens will, and stay there without trying to even get out. But chickens will jump fences, but ducks won't (at least Mallard breeds won't.) So they didn't run off.

They also will stay near stable food supply.

If the 3 pullets went missing on the same day as the duck or very shortly after that wouldn't have been an air predator. They like to rest and will take a few days to digest stuff, and are more sensitive to weight bloating affecting flight.

So you are looking at some kind of land predator.

Do you have a dog?

It might be able to smell tracks. And you can sometimes see tracks if you are careful and look hard enough. But a predator wouldn't go in the easy way, so tracks might go through and under bushes; hiding spots.

You can try to see if there's tracks going in and around bushes and what they look like, and if the bushes are really low hanging or slightly taller than that to get a better idea what is what. But if it rained since this happened it will be hard to see anything at all.

 

[Lisafitz]

The animals being shaken up reveals the truth.

It was a predator.

Ducks are less likely to run away than other poultry also. People will tell you sometimes even when their fences are all broken and just for show the ducks will still stay in their pens more than chickens will, and stay there without trying to even get out. But chickens will jump fences, but ducks won't (at least Mallard breeds won't.) So they didn't run off.

They also will stay near stable food supply.

If the 3 pullets went missing on the same day as the duck or very shortly after that wouldn't have been an air predator. They like to rest and will take a few days to digest stuff, and are more sensitive to weight bloating affecting flight.

So you are looking at some kind of land predator.

Do you have a dog?

It might be able to smell tracks. And you can sometimes see tracks if you are careful and look hard enough. But a predator wouldn't go in the easy way, so tracks might go through and under bushes; hiding spots.

You can try to see if there's tracks going in and around bushes and what they look like, and if the bushes are really low hanging or slightly taller than that to get a better idea what is what. But if it rained since this happened it will be hard to see anything at all.

We have two dogs but both were in the house when we were gone and quite likely asleep! The foxes in VA would hunt day and night and weren't in the least bothered by humans but we were more suburban then. We are more rural now on almost 7 acres but have neighbors and a few subdivisions around us so there is plenty of activity. I figured the pekin got taken because he was much slower and couldn't fly like the rest and maybe the pullets flew off in fear. I'll take a look for tracks but we quite likely walked all over them by now. Thanks for the suggestion though!

 

[cmom]

If you have a game camera, put it up. Most likely the predator has been lurking looking for an opportunity and found it. My guess would be a fox or coyote. Good luck...