Too late now, but just wondering

[UbDucks]

... what got our sweet Runner girl, sitting on her nest.
One of our Runner ducks made a nest in the yard (we let them free-range in the day) under some brush. We decided to let her keep the nest and put a tarp around it. We live in the suburbs, rarely have a predator problem but chickens and ducks are normally inside at night. So with her on the nest, we let all the ducks stay out at night (3 boys, 2 girls). Everything fine for a few weeks, last night our girl disappeared off the nest. Found her body under a shed. Haven't dragged her out yet but looks like her front was torn open. Racoon? I know now we should not have left her outside at night. Wish I could turn back the clock. Just curious what this sounds like.

 

[Monkeybean415]

I'm not sure what got her. where do you live? That might help figuring it out. I'm so sorry for your loss. It's so hard. Bears took a handful of our chickens from the coop a few weeks back. It's heartbreaking

 

[UbDucks]

Thanks, yes it is hard, especially when I know it's our fault for letting her be vulnerable. We are in suburban NH. Not rural, but near undeveloped land. We have raccoons, fox, possum, hawks, probably everything except bears.

 

[Monkeybean415]

If you found the body they didn't eat it just kill it!? I'm not sure what would do that maybe raccoon or possum? We're the eggs still there? I know here Ravens kill chickens and just leave them but anything else wouldn't leave a body

 

[Monkeybean415]

Unrelated but one of our dogs got one of our newly hatched chicks just a few days after the bear came through and that one was completely my fault and I still feel guilty about it. Luckily our broody hen kept the others safe.

 

[aart]

Thanks, yes it is hard, especially when I know it's our fault for letting her be vulnerable. We are in suburban NH. Not rural, but near undeveloped land. We have raccoons, fox, possum, hawks, probably everything except bears.

Could be any one of those, raccoon, possum or fox are first guesses.

Any tracks?...I'd be setting a trap and closing off the 'under the shed' access.