What took my chicken? Is it going to take my ducks too?

Learningstill, I am seeing an increasing number of hawk fatalities on the duck forum. That would be my first guess.

I do not want to give you false hope. But in one case Peanut apparently was dropped by the raptor and was found a few miles away.

The ducks are correct - they are at risk. Predators come back.

If the goats seemed to protect them, that might be the way to go. Miss Lydia is trying some reflective tape, I believe, and perhaps some netting across the top might work for you.

Sad for your loss.

Predators work at it full time. It is just about all they do. It is quite a challenge.

 

I am leaning towards hawk or at least some air predator.. that sounds like the right MO.. only feathers left behind. Any possible way to net the area?? Amiga is correct, predators return, the ducks worry is of sound mind.

The goats may detract but not sure.... i would probably see what you can provide for shelter.. whether that be greenery, ensuring easy access to buildings etc.. they need to be able to 'take cover' if you cannot net the top.

I mainly free range the birds here, so have no qualms about admitting how relieved i am at days end when all are accounted for. Predators are the #1 concern for keeping livestock and some are real tough to beat.

Sorry for you loss, as a mum myself i completely get the attachment kids form to their pets.

 

The problem with putting them into an open goat pen is that other preds can still get them. Don't know where you live, but things like raccoons, mink, fishers, etc., can climb very easily. And they are not deterred by goats. In fact, I have read that fishers can actually take a small breed goat down very quickly.
I don't want to scare you, but if they are not locked in somewhere secure at night, it is a crapshoot as to how long it will be before something finds them.
We lock our ducks and rabbits up securely each evening and I still had a mink go after my rabbits on morning. A hungry predator is very resourceful unfortunately.
It is hard to say when a hawk will return. If the is other prey that is easier to get than the ducks, it may not come back for a while. But if the pickings get slim in their normal hunting area, they will be back to where it was easy to get a meal.
So sorry you lost your duck.

Cute goat avatar btw. What kind?

 

"We tracked feathers on the other side of our privacy fence in the neighbors yard, but still no tracks or blood."
With a tail of feathers on the ground I'm thinking more of a 4 legged predator instead of bird of pray. Also you seem to think this happen during the night, with the exception of an owl don't think it was a bird
I' would be looking for a wild cat or raccoon. If that's the case it will return for your ducks seeing you put up the other hen. I've had this same problem, but lost one of my silkie hens. Had a trail of feathers 50 yards long, no blood or tracks. I put out a trap with can cat food. Two nights later I caught a 15 lbs raccoon. Haven't lost another chicken. I would find a friend with a trap and bait it with tuna fish for at lest a week. You'll trap every wild cat or raccoon within 1/2 mile. Good Lu k

 

Well not sure about it passing on the trash. But I'm sure if it was a bird of pray all your feathers would be piled up by what's left of your hen. Not spread out, well unless it was windy. But I still don't think they ( feathers) would blow over a privacy fence. I'm still thinking a 4 legged predator. Like I said I had the same problem you had. So I definitely know how you feel. And searched the web trying to find a solution. And this is what I came up with.
Owls... will just remove the head and neck of the birds leaving the body intact. Best to besure your flock is locked up before dusk.
Hawks ... will leave a pile of feathers next to the body. And just eating the breasts. Best to have a large covered area for your hens to run under, some people believe in hanging shiny objects like CD disk around there run.
wild cats (bobcats, domesticated cat,) will kill its pray then carry the body off in order to find a secluded place, but if they have young ones they will carry the body back to their den. Will stop eating when full and hide the remains inorder to finished at another time. Will NOT eat bones.
Possum and skunks... will drag the body a short distance from the kill zone and dine on the internals organs starting from the backside, then leaving most of the upper part of the body.
Raccoons... will kill the bird on site, then carry it off dinning on it as it leaves the scene. If its pray small (such as a chicken) it will completely devour its pray bones an all.
Hope this helps.

 

I had a similar incident happen and it turned out to be a coon. I had never seen one on or near our property until I put out a live trap and caught it the night after we lost a hen. It didnt take the hen but it killed it in the coop and left. It had chewed a hole through the bottom of my coop floor. I put the live trap under the coop near where it had chewed the hole and sure enough it was in there the next morning. Once a predator finds and easy meal it will return until it dosen't have a reason to.