What duck predator can get through a 2"x4" welded wire fence?

[kaumlauf]

Hi all, We have something coming into our fenced in yard at night- it's a 4' high 2"x4" welded wire, with an electric wire across the top. There is a nearby outside the yard fir tree with low hanging branches, and can see where a raccoon could climb it and jump onto a shed roof and work it's way down. We have ducks, and keep them securely housed at night. This morning there were small holes dug as if something was looking for grubs. Some weeks ago something took a duck and ate it's head, neck, and body parts, and left he carcass in the shed (where I caught a red-squirrel greedily eating it, and I didn't know squirrels ate carcasses). This was before we were housing them at night. Any ideas? Other than a raccoon climbing the tree, and getting in, what else could it be? We do live near a swampy marsh with lots of streams...maybe a mink?

 

[SLOChick]

Hi all, We have something coming into our fenced in yard at night- it's a 4' high 2"x4" welded wire, with an electric wire across the top. There is a nearby outside the yard fir tree with low hanging branches, and can see where a raccoon could climb it and jump onto a shed roof and work it's way down. We have ducks, and keep them securely housed at night. This morning there were small holes dug as if something was looking for grubs. Some weeks ago something took a duck and ate it's head, neck, and body parts, and left he carcass in the shed (where I caught a red-squirrel greedily eating it, and I didn't know squirrels ate carcasses). This was before we were housing them at night. Any ideas? Other than a raccoon climbing the tree, and getting in, what else could it be? We do live near a swampy marsh with lots of streams...maybe a mink?

We had a fox coming into our yard, and followed a feather trail to our 5' high no-climb fence. I'm told they can climb, and our feathers told the tail. The trail stopped at the fence, then started again on the other side.

 

[KelseyBoxer]

Several years ago we lost our two pekin ducks as they slept. They wouldn't go inside at night and I thought nothing could get through the dog kennel we locked them up in. My husband went out the next evening at dusk and got a close up look at the rear end of a weasel slipping thru the fencing. This time they got my welshies. Never ate the bodies, just ripped open their throats.

 

[kaumlauf]

We had a fox coming into our yard, and followed a feather trail to our 5' high no-climb fence. I'm told they can climb, and our feathers told the tail. The trail stopped at the fence, then started again on the other side.

 

[kaumlauf]

Did you have an electric wire across the top too?

 

[kaumlauf]

Several years ago we lost our two pekin ducks as they slept. They wouldn't go inside at night and I thought nothing could get through the dog kennel we locked them up in. My husband went out the next evening at dusk and got a close up look at the rear end of a weasel slipping thru the fencing. This time they got my welshies. Never ate the bodies, just ripped open their throats.

 

[kaumlauf]

weasel? That's too bad. Sorry to hear it. I'm sure a weasel can get into our 2x4 openings, then.

 

[SLOChick]

Did you have an electric wire across the top too?

No, we thought the fencing + dog would be secure enough. I had no idea foxes could climb like that, and unfortunately the dog is pretty useless

 

[aart]

Some weeks ago something took a duck and ate it's head, neck, and body parts, and left he carcass in the shed (where I caught a red-squirrel greedily eating it, and I didn't know squirrels ate carcasses).

Is the barn inside the fence with hot wire at the top?
Is the fence grounded so the single hot wire will work?

 

[kaumlauf]

The shed is inside the fence. It backs up to the fence. The wire is grounded. Our many cats can attest to that!