What Killed My Duck?

[Finny]

I came home from school to find a heartbreaking and gory scene. Something had killed one of my buff ducks (his name was Pip and he was the flock leader) Something had eaten his back and neck leaving the spine exposed. Nothing else was touched including his head. There were a bunch of feathers littering the floor as well. Any ideas as to what predator did this? I want to find out so i can adress the problem and reinforce my duck pen.
Thanks

 

[Miss Lydia]

I came home from school to find a heartbreaking and gory scene. Something had killed one of my buff ducks (his name was Pip and he was the flock leader)

Something had eaten his back and neck leaving the spine exposed. Nothing else was touched including his head. There were a bunch of feathers littering the floor as well. Any ideas as to what predator did this? I want to find out so i can adress the problem and reinforce my duck pen.
Thanks

Oh my gosh Finny so very sorry, they were closed up and something got in? any places where it looked like something dug under? describe your set up.

 

[Finny]

Yes they were in their pen ( I always keep them in their pen when I am not home) which is fenced in and has a netting covering the top and sides of the pen. The netting was not ripped or anything and the only solution i can come up with is that something got in from the front and jumped the fence becuase the netting does not cover the front so i can easily get in. I was never worried about foxes or coyotes because they r nocturnal, but i think it was one of those because i heard hawks take the body and there was no way i could see a hawk getting in. And no there was no sign of something digging in, but something may have used the holes my ducks make when they drill into the ground with their bills because the ducks make those holes on the edges of the pen.

 

[Amiga]

Very sad for your loss, Finny, things watch and take advantage. I hope you can make sure the pen is secured.

There is a forum for predators and pests. They may be able to identify the predator from your description.

 

[Miss Lydia]

How are the rest anyone else injured? and foxes and coyotes do come out in daylight especially if hungry but I am thinking they would try to carry the duck off.

 

[Going Quackers]

How are the rest anyone else injured? and foxes and coyotes do come out in daylight especially if hungry but I am thinking they would try to carry the duck off.

Yes, this true.. i am sorry Finny. That would have been horrible to come home too. Totally, agree with Amiga go visit the pred section to aid with a possible culprit. I know one of my chicken magazines has a chart listed preds, typical carnage and MO.

 

[Finny]

How are the rest anyone else injured? and foxes and coyotes do come out in daylight especially if hungry but I am thinking they would try to carry the duck off. 

No one else even has a scratch on them. And thank you all for the advice

 

[Miss Lydia]

No one else even has a scratch on them. And thank you all for the advice

That is so strange one killed and the rest not harmed thank goodness. Do they seem traumatized at all?

 

[Finny]

When i come home they usually will come out of thier house and chatter at the edge of their pen, and when they did not come out today that was when i knew something was wrong. They seemed a little cautious when i was walking to their pen (they were hovering around the door and quacking) but when they saw it was me they calmed down and came right out and chattered as if nothing ever happened.

 

[Hope Frazier]

Sounds like a stray dog or even a feral cat, especially since it was during the day. Id cut the duck up and put in a trap near the pen to catch whatever it was.