Predator attack. Cartman is gone. Culprit Identified!

[newchickmom09]

That is sad, I hope your girl recovers fully.

 

[redhen]

So sorry, WZ..

 

[Wifezilla]

Thanks everyone. Keeping my fingers crossed for an Abby recovery. She is the loudest duck out of the flock. It is spooky with her being all quiet

 

[pirtykitty]

I'm so sorry to hear of the attack... I sent you some information privately.. Keeping my fingers crossed for Abby... Did you hear from William??? he also has Holdereads Welsh Harlequins and sell duckling in spring and older birds during the year. He is in upstate New York also ships.

 

[Wifezilla]

Abby is still breathing AND I saw her drink. Have not seen her eat yet, but this is a good sign. I will see if she is up to eating some peas tomorrow.

 

[duckluv]

Quote:
Praying she'll be all right.

So sorry that you lost Cartman!

 

[pirtykitty]

Do you have some mealworms you can give her??? live ones.. if it's not too cold there yet some earth worms would be good too.. Where are you

 

[Wifezilla]

Ground is pretty frozen in Colorado. Peas=Crack to my ducks so it should be a good indicator.

 

[Ahab]

The broken neck plus "scrambling over the fence" points to a raccoon. Which, if you still watch South Park, would be unbearably ironic.

Sorry for your loss. We all know that nature is "red in tooth and claw," but that doesn't make it any easier to bear, whether you're on the poultry-as-pets or poultry-as-livestock end of the spectrum.

 

[Wifezilla]

At 5am I finally learned what is out there looking for a free duck dinner. I was an OWL!

Something moved through the back yard and tripped the motion sensor flood lights. Those lights coming on woke me up. Then I heard it calling. By the sound of the call, I have a GREAT HORNED OWL living in my corner of the burbs.
http://www.owlpages.com/sounds.php

The scrambling I hear during the attack was the owl most likely clawing the fence trying to untangle from the netting. It also explains the fluff stuck on the fence, It didn't look like fur to me but it didn't look like duck down either. It is ow down.

So this is one predator I can't dispatch. Like the hawk we had issues with a few years back, owls are protected. We can only use defense, no offense.

Apparently death comes from the skies around here.

Beautiful birds. A shame they are basically a fluffy killing machine.