What could be killing my ducks and chicken?

[jesslf]

I have had chickens and ducks for 5 years. I never had any predator problems before and just noticed skunks around the property. I had 2 two yrs ago that got killed while nesting and recently the latest was last month she was nesting in a brush pile. At night when we checked there was feathers and she was gone. I found her on the side of the brush pile mostly eaten. Then last week, we one of our chickens went missing. Just found a handful of feathers that's it in our little wooded area. Found empty shells too. All these spots my chickens have gone and were safe and we had a successful duck nest and ducklings the year prior from the first duck that got killed. For the most part my chickens have been very smart so having one go missing is making me wonder who's after them. I have 2 goats and 2 sheep that free range too during the day. Everyone gets locked up at night. Going to get a couple of more trail cameras. Just want to put feelers out to see what others think.

 

[sourland]

Realistically it could be just about anything. The skunks are a possibility. Set out the game cameras. I'd also set some live traps.

 

[Gobekli Pepe]

Hard to say, but with the duck attacked at night, I'd guess it was probably a raccoon or three, they like to leave a mess. Could have been a fox, but they'll usually take the whole bird, depends on how big of a duck we're talkin though. I had one tear some boards off the duckhouse one night, caught him trying to drag my big pekin drake away and he was having a tough time. Last mistake he ever made. I imagine if he managed to kill Mr. Pekin he might have opted to dine and dash rather than carry him over the hills to the den though.

Better chance a fox got the other duck and the chicken. Contrary to popular belief, they're perfectly happy to hunt during the day, and (typically) all they leave is feathers, a few where they grab it and maybe a bit of a trail. Then they tend to carry them off a ways before they shake the bird. I call it the death shake. I don't know if the death shake actually kills the bird or just stuns them so they're more manageable, but they always shake the bird, and it always leaves a bunch of feathers behind. (I have a massive fox problem where I live.)

If the chicken was small, it could have been a hawk, otherwise it would have left a body. I used to have trouble with redtails before I discovered scare tape.

Like sour said though, could be anything, but with the duck that left a body, I'd say the perp is something nocturnal, and too small to take the bird away. Depends on what you have where you live. Coon, skunk, or opossum, in that order, would be my assumption though.

Anyway, sorry to write so much.

 

[jesslf]

Hard to say, but with the duck attacked at night, I'd guess it was probably a raccoon or three, they like to leave a mess. Could have been a fox, but they'll usually take the whole bird, depends on how big of a duck we're talkin though. I had one tear some boards off the duckhouse one night, caught him trying to drag my big pekin drake away and he was having a tough time. Last mistake he ever made. I imagine if he managed to kill Mr. Pekin he might have opted to dine and dash rather than carry him over the hills to the den though.

Better chance a fox got the other duck and the chicken. Contrary to popular belief, they're perfectly happy to hunt during the day, and (typically) all they leave is feathers, a few where they grab it and maybe a bit of a trail. Then they tend to carry them off a ways before they shake the bird. I call it the death shake. I don't know if the death shake actually kills the bird or just stuns them so they're more manageable, but they always shake the bird, and it always leaves a bunch of feathers behind. (I have a massive fox problem where I live.)

If the chicken was small, it could have been a hawk, otherwise it would have left a body. I used to have trouble with redtails before I discovered scare tape.

Like sour said though, could be anything, but with the duck that left a body, I'd say the perp is something nocturnal, and too small to take the bird away. Depends on what you have where you live. Coon, skunk, or opossum, in that order, would be my assumption though.

Anyway, sorry to write so much.

Don't be sorry Thanks for the info! I have runner ducks and as for the chicken she was a full grown hen. These attacks were outside of the coop, near brush piles and no messes other than feathers and body. We have cats body guards so I'd hope they scare off animals like skunk and raccoons. We don't have really any predators in the air by us. I never heard of scare tape. I'm going to get some!

 

[Gobekli Pepe]

We have cats body guards so I'd hope they scare off animals like skunk and raccoons.

Maybe. I know the biggest problem I have with raccoons is they steal my cats food. Might depend on the cat though. Mine do a great job mousing and even get a lot of moles and voles, but they give raccoons a wide berth.

I never heard of scare tape. I'm going to get some!

It's great stuff. I cut it into 2ft strips and hang it around the yard where it can catch sun. Got six strips up now, a couple of them have been up for two years and still going strong, so a role of it will last a long time. Birds of prey have such sensitive eyesight that they cant stand it. I haven't seen a single hawk around here since I hung my first strips. Supposedly the crackling sound it makes in the wind sounds like fire, and detours foxes, but if there's any truth to that, they get wise to it eventually.

 

[DebiC215]

Hard to say, but with the duck attacked at night, I'd guess it was probably a raccoon or three, they like to leave a mess. Could have been a fox, but they'll usually take the whole bird, depends on how big of a duck we're talkin though. I had one tear some boards off the duckhouse one night, caught him trying to drag my big pekin drake away and he was having a tough time. Last mistake he ever made. I imagine if he managed to kill Mr. Pekin he might have opted to dine and dash rather than carry him over the hills to the den though.

Better chance a fox got the other duck and the chicken. Contrary to popular belief, they're perfectly happy to hunt during the day, and (typically) all they leave is feathers, a few where they grab it and maybe a bit of a trail. Then they tend to carry them off a ways before they shake the bird. I call it the death shake. I don't know if the death shake actually kills the bird or just stuns them so they're more manageable, but they always shake the bird, and it always leaves a bunch of feathers behind. (I have a massive fox problem where I live.)

If the chicken was small, it could have been a hawk, otherwise it would have left a body. I used to have trouble with redtails before I discovered scare tape.

Like sour said though, could be anything, but with the duck that left a body, I'd say the perp is something nocturnal, and too small to take the bird away. Depends on what you have where you live. Coon, skunk, or opossum, in that order, would be my assumption though.

Anyway, sorry to write so much.

What is scare tape. pls message me

 

[tlcmurphy]

What is scare tape. pls message me

I’m also interested, could you post a link please? Huge hawk problems here. Thanks!

 

[Kakaruk]

Hi Jesslf, I know it's been a year but I recently had a racoon massacre, you can see my post thread. They are brutal and I've always had them leave the half eaten bodies. I've had fox interaction and they do seem to drag away the bird and only take one at a time, where as a coon will kill just about as many as they fancy, they are just MEAN!

But, I also agree if they are outside the coop and run, it could be just about anything, coyotes as well.

Sorry for your loss, hope things have been better this year.