What Killed My Duck?

[newfoundland]

I am sorry for your loss, it is a horrible thing to find. I think it might have been a bird of prey. They land on the ducks/chickens back and tear at them with beak and talons. They usually only attack one bird, so the others would be uninjured. I think netting over the pen is the answer. Dogs around will help. Some garden centres sell plastic birds of prey that hover on wire in the air and are supposed to scare off other birds, but I don't know how successful they are?

 

[Finny]

I thought it was a bird of prey at first as well but the netting I have over my ducks pen was not disturbed or ripped. I think I am going to go with Amiga's idea and get the hard wire cloth as well as a taller fence. Can i get hard wire cloth at Home Depot?

 

[Finny]

Actually the way my netting is set up is that it covers the top and the sides of the pen but not the front. Could a bird of prey fly through the front of the pen and back out?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Actually the way my netting is set up is that it covers the top and the sides of the pen but not the front. Could a bird of prey fly through the front of the pen and back out?

Finny can you post pics of your pen, from what was explained it does sound like it may have been a bird of prey, because none of the rest being hurt.
and yes you can get hardware cloth at home depot and Lowes and most lumber companies sell it too.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Finny I posted on the pred thread herene answer

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post #405 of 406​

24 minutes ago​

• mamahen1980
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• Location: boiling springs, South Carolina
• Joined: 5/2013
• Posts: 203
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Yes always picked clean to bone on neck and head, they also leave poo (looks like white paint spray around) its very wasteful killing and it makes me so angry and sad at the same time.
I'm thinking hawk what other birds of prey do you have but I doubt an eagle would try.

 

[Finny]

The only birds of prey we have here are hawks and owls but the attack happened during the day so it was probably a hawk.

This is their pen

 

[Miss Lydia]

The only birds of prey we have here are hawks and owls but the attack happened during the day so it was probably a hawk.

This is their pen

Do you want some constructive advise?

 

[Finny]

Yes please! I was thinking of going to home depot and buying 4ft high fencing and hardwire cloth to put around the bottom and concrete slabs to line the outside of the pen, and of course put the netting over the top. Does this sound predator proof?

 

[Amiga]

I used coated chain link fence underneath to keep things from digging under and up through the ground.

 

[Finny]

I heard the concrete slabs would also prevent digging. Do you think that is true?