Preditor killing my Silkie and Duck

[GabbyDee]

Hi
A few days ago, one of my Silkie Hens went missing and I found her dead along my fence (inside the fence), her head and neck were ripped off and her body was split opened and organs exposed, but not eaten. Last night I had a duck that was killed and all of her body was intact except her neck was stripped of her feathers and looks like it was eaten on. What could this be? Also, the duck was a female and had bonded with a male for about 2 years now. I think he is missing her today. We have 2 other males and one other female and the males seem to be chasing off the male that lost his girl. Any suggestions for what I should do? Get the lonely male another female? I have read that if the ducks have bonded, then it may take months for him to accept another female. Also, should I separate him from the other 3 ducks for a while? My fear is that the other males will attack and harm him. Does anyone have experience with this kind of thing?
Thanks in advance.
Dee

 

[muddy75]

Where are you located in the world? That can help narrow down possible predators. It sounds like raccoon,opossum, or mink based on predators in my region. The predator went for the organ meat first because it is more sustainable. It may have been interrupted before consuming any more of the bird. You may want to re-evaluate your security measures for your flock.

 

[BelovedBirds]

Hi
A few days ago, one of my Silkie Hens went missing and I found her dead along my fence (inside the fence), her head and neck were ripped off and her body was split opened and organs exposed, but not eaten. Last night I had a duck that was killed and all of her body was intact except her neck was stripped of her feathers and looks like it was eaten on. What could this be? Also, the duck was a female and had bonded with a male for about 2 years now. I think he is missing her today. We have 2 other males and one other female and the males seem to be chasing off the male that lost his girl. Any suggestions for what I should do? Get the lonely male another female? I have read that if the ducks have bonded, then it may take months for him to accept another female. Also, should I separate him from the other 3 ducks for a while? My fear is that the other males will attack and harm him. Does anyone have experience with this kind of thing?
Thanks in advance.
Dee

Are you putting them away at night?
This is slightly off topic, but if you only have one girl and multiple boys, you may want to re-evaluate your ratio as she (and any chicken hens they are with) will be in danger (drakes can overbreed hens to the point of injury, and for chicken hens this can be fatal). I wouldnt be too worried about the grieving drake unless they are causing injury-- Multiple feed and waterers could help, but I would perhaps separate him and the girl for a while and leave the other two boys to themselves, until the ratio is sorted.

 

[Oblio13]

Don't know where you live, but mustelids - weasels, mink, martens, fishers, etc. - attack poultry by the neck. I've been having huge problems with minks, and every single bird has had neck injuries, some with their heads bitten completely off.

 

[GabbyDee]

Are you putting them away at night?
This is slightly off topic, but if you only have one girl and multiple boys, you may want to re-evaluate your ratio as she (and any chicken hens they are with) will be in danger (drakes can overbreed hens to the point of injury, and for chicken hens this can be fatal). I wouldnt be too worried about the grieving drake unless they are causing injury-- Multiple feed and waterers could help, but I would perhaps separate him and the girl for a while and leave the other two boys to themselves, until the ratio is sorted.

Yea, I'm putting everyone up at night. The chicken was attacked sometime in the early afternoon. I'm thinking it was a hawk. The people around us have told me that they are having a lot of trouble with hawks right now. In the past, the hawks have swooped in and killed/taken the whole chicken in a more open field, that's what had me confused and the duck was killed between the coop and fence (about 5 feet apart), not in the open. I have an LGD, so I'm hoping that he would not let anything else get in the fence and attack. I live in East Tennessee. As for the ducks, I took your advice and we added more adult female ducks and now have more females that drakes. We also have netting put up over both coops and runs now. Hopefully that takes care of the problem.
Thank you for your advice, it is much appreciated.

 

[GabbyDee]

Don't know where you live, but mustelids - weasels, mink, martens, fishers, etc. - attack poultry by the neck. I've been having huge problems with minks, and every single bird has had neck injuries, some with their heads bitten completely off.

Thank You. I live in East Tennessee. I'm not sure if we have weasels or minks etc. around. I've never seen or heard of one around here. I have an LGD so I'm hoping nothing like that gets past him, I'm thinking it was a hawk or an owl. A hawk comes around about every 5 days and circles. My neighbors said they are having trouble with hawks getting their chickens also. I've never seen a hawk leave the body, though. That is what confused me, as well as the chicken was killed in early afternoon. I put them all up at night, I was late putting the ducks up the day the duck got killed, but didn't realize that hawks/owls would risk coming between the coop and fence (about 5 feet apart). I now have more ducks and have put netting up over both coops and runs, netting on the bottom of the fence and am still putting the chickens and ducks up at night. Hopefully, that will take care of the problem.
Thank you very much for your response. I definitely will keep an eye out for clues that it could be other predators, like weasels or minks.