Something killed my ducks

[Lacy3816]

Hello all.
I finally put my ducks outside in a chain link fence with a tarp over the top and I fastened some garden cloth over some of the fence not all, which was a huge mistake. I had 2 ducks pass. Now I have 7 left.
I went out this morning to feed the ducks and counted 7 which it didn’t dawn on me at the time that I was missing 2.
So I went to the fence and saw blood on a rock I had blocking a whole at the bottom of one side and I don’t know how whatever animal got my duck through the fence and ate it. There were feathers attached to my fence and the rock was not moved as it was a really big rock, 2 people had to tote it. So blood and feathers on one side of the fence.
Then I went to the other side where I didn’t know was a hole very small wasn’t dug it was just where the fence wasn’t level there were some feathers no blood. I do not know what this could be, I searched to find a body but didn’t see one. Any advise

 

[Rory the Chicken]

it could of been a racoon, mink or an oppossum

 

[Isaac 0]

I would suspect either a mink/weasel got through the hole or a raccoon reached its hand through the wire and pulled them out in bits.

 

[Lacy3816]

it could of been a racoon, mink or an oppossum

So all those animals eat the whole duck? And leave nothing behind.
Oh yeah I forgot to mention there was some blood on the side where the rock was, inside the cage so it could have been pulled apart but still no parts left for me to see my darling daughter heartbroken because it took one of mine and one of hers

 

[Isaac 0]

So all those animals eat the whole duck? And leave nothing behind.
Oh yeah I forgot to mention there was some blood on the side where the rock was, inside the cage so it could have been pulled apart but still no parts left for me to see my darling daughter heartbroken because it took one of mine and one of hers

Don't know if they would eat the whole duck, but they would definitely grab it and save it for later eating. Very sorry for your losses!

 

[Lacy3816]

Oh I see. Thank you for the advise and kind words

 

[DuckyDonna]

So sorry this happened to your ducks. The chain link fencing won't stop a raccoon from sticking its arm through and grabbing a duck by the neck and pulling it out piece by piece or a mink or ferret from getting in. You've got to put hardware cloth over the chain link and all around the base of the run on the ground so they can't dig through to your ducks.

Can you post a picture of your run and pen? Maybe we can help you fix it if we can see it.

 

[Lacy3816]

So sorry this happened to your ducks. The chain link fencing won't stop a raccoon from sticking its arm through and grabbing a duck by the neck and pulling it out piece by piece or a mink or ferret from getting in. You've got to put hardware cloth over the chain link and all around the base of the run on the ground so they can't dig through to your ducks.

Can you post a picture of your run and pen? Maybe we can help you fix it if we can see it.

As soon as it stops raining I will get some pictures to you guys

 

[bobhoke]

Hello all.
I finally put my ducks outside in a chain link fence with a tarp over the top and I fastened some garden cloth over some of the fence not all, which was a huge mistake. I had 2 ducks pass. Now I have 7 left.
I went out this morning to feed the ducks and counted 7 which it didn’t dawn on me at the time that I was missing 2.
So I went to the fence and saw blood on a rock I had blocking a whole at the bottom of one side and I don’t know how whatever animal got my duck through the fence and ate it. There were feathers attached to my fence and the rock was not moved as it was a really big rock, 2 people had to tote it. So blood and feathers on one side of the fence.
Then I went to the other side where I didn’t know was a hole very small wasn’t dug it was just where the fence wasn’t level there were some feathers no blood. I do not know what this could be, I searched to find a body but didn’t see one. Any advise

fix your fence

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Very sorry this happened. You need to build something called an apron around the base of your pen. It's where you take hardware cloth and start about a foot up the side of your pen and extend it down around the base so it extends about two feet all the way around at ground level, then cover it good with gravel and rocks. It keeps varmints from digging under and getting in around the bottom of your pen. They are not smart enough to go out two feet and tunnel underneath from that far out. Leave no holes or gaps! Chain link is not secure, as you have seen. I wish you better success going forward.