Strange Duck Death, Please Reply ASAP

[The Duck Ladie]

I posted this in ducks, but I think I should post it here too. So I had gotten home, after a litte while it was reported to me that one of my ducks was dead. It was my campbell hen who had a little more than a week ago been attacked by one of the dogs. The dog didn't inflict any deep wounds, she basically pinned the poor duck down and tore all of her back feathers out. After some care she was acting fine, though she was still not as fast as she had been. Somone else took careof the ducks today, and they told me they were fine this morning, which means whatever happened happen between 9:00 am to about 45 minutes ago. The duck was found with her head turned back near her side. The really strange thing is that the back of her back, aside from her spine and maybe a few ribs, is hollow, like emptied out. I didn't see any blood around. Everything else looked intact. I have all the other ducks in a seperate pen at present. What got in? My best guess is that whatever got in got her since, because she was still recovering, she was slower. The other ducks seem fine.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Predators are everywhere but to determine which it may be we need to know your location.

Dog may be a good choice.

 

[sourland]

Sorry for your loss. If feathers were scattered around the body, that is fairly typical of a raptor kill.

 

[The Duck Ladie]

Sorry for your loss. If feathers were scattered around the body, that is fairly typical of a raptor kill.

There weren't feathers scattered around, but that is probably becuase she had no feathers on her back due to the dog tearing them off a few weeks ago.

 

[Sara Ranch]

*hugs*

 

[KariR]

Aww. That's so sad! I'm so sorry! We have coyotes near us and from time to time a bird will go missing. Like completely missing with not a feather or blood stain to be found. A dog would be more likely to kill and eat in the yard but also maybe a raccoon or badger or something? Depending on where you live.

 

[Quackers n milk]

Sorry about your duck. Same thing happened to two of mine we found a raccoon eating them.

 

[drumstick diva]

How very sad, I'm so sorry for you and her.

 

[xdmsd3d]

It sounds like a mink kill to me. No feathers and a few puncture marks. The generally drink blood and leave the meat. I have had a few of them get in. Be vigilant because once they find a flock they come back. I have very bright motion lites around my barn. Everyone makes fun of me, they say it looks like a football field. But I have not had another issue since i installed them. Good luck.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I agree that mink kill and eat nothing but in my experience they kill everything in the building.
Don't the mink fly under the radar of your motion sensor lights?