Predator or territorial Scovy?

[CrzyChicLady]

I adopted 5, three day old Mallard ducks from a friend. I LOVED these little ducklings! I would bring them outside to hang around the baby pool all day then put them in a brooder/cage at night. We have a large pond on the property and a pair of adult muscovies who hang out there day and night. One day the ducklings followed my son and I to the pond. The Muscovies didn't pay any attention to the ducklings and when we were ready to head home I called the ducklings and they followed us back. We went on a few more field trips to the pond until one day they were let out of their cage and went to the pond by themselves.

I was heartbroken that my baby ducks didn't wait for me to take them. By this time they are starting to get some feathers are are getting pretty big. They are also spending the night in their outside pen.

So then one by one the ducks were disappearing while they were out at the pond. The first one....gone without a trace in broad daylight. The next day the second one....gone without a trace in broad daylight. We found the third one floating dead with it's hind parts bit off. The fourth one was found the same way, just a head and neck floating in the pond. I tried to keep the last one locked up but it was so unhappy that I decided to let it go and he too was lost to the same fate as the others.

A friend of mine said it had to be a big snapping turtle doing this damage. So I went out with a big fishing pole and some stinky meat to try to lure the turtle out. No luck! Our pond is (depending on the amount of rain we've had) somewhere between 6ft-15ft in the middle and about 100ft in diameter. What would be killing these ducks but not eating them?!? I'm wondering if the adult Muscovies were getting territorial and killed them then the fish ate the hind parts off them? However, I have never seen the scovies even acknowledge the ducklings.

What do ya'll think it could of been??

 

[Oregon Blues]

I'm thinking that whatever it was makes your pond unsafe for ducklings. So if you want to get ducks again, I suggest that you make arrangements so that they can never get to the pond.

I very much doubt that it was the Muscovy ducks that did it.

 

[CrzyChicLady]

I would rather make arrangements to make my pond safe for the ducks. But yes I did learn a lesson about letting my ducklings out before they were big enough.

 

[Maryallison]

I am so very sorry. We have muscovies, just 3 that are about 3 months old and this was their 2nd night at our mini 9 x 12 foot pond. I wanta lock them up at night cause I am so worried about them,but they are happy just sitting there. I hope you find the awful animal that did this!!!!

 

[keeperofthehearth]

I don't think it was the Scovies. I had some people come to buy about a dozen Scovy ducklings and they were telling me that they've had trouble w/lrg snapping turtles getting their ducklings... pekin and mallards. They also said they've seen lrg snappers pull adult mallards under the water!!! YIKES!!!! Soooo, I'm of the opinion you could very well have a turtle problem. I hope you can trap the turtle or whatever is getting to your ducks. It's def. not fun to watch as one after another of your babies is killed off.

We've had a fox problem as well as a lgr bird of prey problem this year.... lost 6 non-Scovy ducks (4 adults) , 1 Scovy hen (my 3yr old Charlotte) , as well as 5 chickens in a matter of a 6 wk period.... Not a good time.