Predator survivors

[MelissaF]

So a week ago my 18 yr old brother woke up at 3 am to my 3 ducks making quite a racket, he went out back to check and heard chaos under out deck. He got a flash light and saw a raccoon had my 8 week old magpie Lola. He started throwing stuff and it let Lola go, the raccoon turned and grabbed my 12 week old Cayuga. By this Tim Lola was frantically pecking at my childrens bedroom window. My poor brother who knows nothing of wild life had to watch the giant raccoon drag away my Cayuga nox. He ran in to get my parents. My step father could hardly get the raccoon to let nox go. Lola (who usually dislikes people) ran right to my mother begging to be picked up. My step father stood guard over my obviously dying nox so the raccoon couldn't have her. It took a lot to get the raccoon to leave. Every time Lola cried nox would quack. Now they realized lux my 12 week pekin was missing. After walking around and calling her she finally came limping out from behind the shed. She was bleeding but alive. As soon as nox saw that both ducks were safe, she passed. She was the protector in the flock. Lola was bleeding from the face and lux from under her wing. Not knowing what to do. They put them back in their duck house and placed large rocks in front of the door. They put nox away where the raccoon could not get her body. The next morning I was informed and was never so scared to open that duck house door. But I did and both my blood stained babies wangled out. Lola had a cracked beak and lux was limping. They are both doing amazing now and we even added a baby to the mix to help my kids cope.

This is their house with a raccoon safe lock that I was using improper

This is Lola's beak now, seems to be healing very well

This is my Cayuga nox who didn't make it, along with her best friend lux who is alive and well

Day after attack they spent the day resting inside

This is Lola and lux new home, locked dog crate inside locked club house. Please share your stories. I never knew loosing a duck could be so upsetting

 

[thomasboyle]

Very sorry for your loss. Ducks have a way of latching onto your heart strings! I raised a flock of mallards, and while they were foraging by the mailbox, a car came along and purposely drove through the flock, killing 2 instantly and injuring 3 more. One of the 3 managed to limp up to the house, and my two barn cats laid down next to her and stayed with her until she died. The two injured ducks could no longer fly, so they became permanent residents of the farm while the rest of the flock flow south. The two are still with me, and have hatched and raised two groups of ducklings.

 

[MelissaF]

Wow that is horrible. People can be absolutely disgusting