Something got 2 of my ducks heads?

[Triplell]

I woke up Easter morning and my husband got me up and told me that 2 ducks were dead. I went dowm to the barn and my Blue drake with 4 hens were kept and seen the worst thing I could think of. My Blue headed drake was missing his head and one of his girls was too. I have search this site and can't find anything. Have any idea's?

 

[Betelgeuse]

Skunk. It is very common for a skunk to decapitate several fowl in one night. Get a trap!

 

[Triplell]

Ok, would a skunk climb a fence or crawl under the fence? We just found that our fence is lifted up in 2 spots.

 

[missrobinson]

A predator is an annoying and worrying thing. A hungry one even more so. We have raccoons and skunks in this area that bother chickens. I'm leaning towards a skunk as well and if he is hungry enough he will find a way around a fence if there is one such as a light chicken wire. Racs are the ones who will climb over fences they are nimble things.

 

[mixitup]

Even rats will do that. Minks, weasels as well. Most likely, if it's at night-skunk or coon.

 

[m.kitchengirl]

Skunks will certainly climb fences, and go under fences.
Those paws of theirs are a lot like hands, and they are very smart critters.
They especially love ducks. A skunk can smell a duck from 5 miles away, and will do quite a lot of damage very quickly.

 

[OldGuy43]

Electric fence. Wire 6-8" off the ground.

 

[mixitup]

Too bad that didn't work for rats too! I hate rats and it would be nice to 'fry' some of the little beggars.

 

[OldGuy43]

Too bad that didn't work for rats too! I hate rats and it would be nice to 'fry' some of the little beggars.

Don't know why it wouldn't. It would just require the wire being closer to the ground. Keeping the vegetation off the fence would be the real problem.

 

[Triplell]

We do have electric fencing to keep my small dog within the backyard. We have field fencing for the yard and it works great as long as some one don't turn the DA#M thing off!!! We could string it down to the barn. I also am using the field fencing for my chicken and duck yard but it has the small spaces at the bottom. Gonna change that as soon as we can, money is short right now.