What would take an entire flock without a trace?

[dianneS]

My neighbors chickens all disappeared without a trace.

Yesterday, my Muscovy mom and all 7 babies disappeared without even so much as a feather left behind.

I've had fox and raccoon problems before. They always leave a calling card of some sort.

What am I dealing with? We have no free-roaming dogs in our area and I'm home all day, at the barn several times a day. This happened during the couple of hours when I was in the house. The ducks never came to the coop last night which is very out of character for them. No sign of them this morning either.

 

[sunflour]

So sorry about the losses.

Could it be human? I cannot think of any predator that could be quiet and leave no traces except for a chicken/duck thief.

 

[dianneS]

So sorry about the losses.

Could it be human? I cannot think of any predator that could be quiet and leave no traces except for a chicken/duck thief.

I've thought of that, but I'm home all day and heard and saw no one. My ducks aren't tame or easy to catch either. No one can even see my poultry from the road or know that I even have them. I also have 13 geese and have no issues with them. They free range all the time and as long as they stick together no predator goes after them.

I make multiple trips to the barn throughout the day and this would have had to have happened in between those visits, very quickly and quietly.

Could several foxes be working together as a pack?

 

[sunflour]

Could several foxes be working together as a pack?

Guess that's possible, but it would seem the flock would have made a lot of noise?

 

[Howard E]

So two disappearing acts? Neighbor's chickens....how many chickens?........ and your ducks?

It has been 50 years since I raised muscovy ducks, but when they got old enough, ours bugged out for the pond and took up residence there.....and and mostly stayed there until the coyotes got the last of them. Perhaps yours left to find water?

 

[dianneS]

Guess that's possible, but it would seem the flock would have made a lot of noise?

Muscovies don't make noise. They whisper.

 

[chickens really]

I had a Fox attack last week...My Ducks were deathly silent during the attack...The Chickens were the screamers..Fox killed one Chick and stashed it..Ran off with the other..It came back several times in the next two days...I am dealing with Two or Three Fox..One lures my Dogs away and the other one comes to the Pens..
Once they get a meal they don't stop ....

 

[dianneS]

So two disappearing acts? Neighbor's chickens....how many chickens?........ and your ducks?

It has been 50 years since I raised muscovy ducks, but when they got old enough, ours bugged out for the pond and took up residence there.....and and mostly stayed there until the coyotes got the last of them. Perhaps yours left to find water?

I have a big pasture pond for them. They have only recently ventured down there. Mom brings them back to the barn several times a day and was still bringing them in the coop at night (until last night) The babies don't even have hard feathers yet so I didn't bother checking the trees to see if they were roosting. The Muscovy mom has been so careful and cautious with these babies that it seems out of character for her to wander far away. She wouldn't even let the babies go down to the pond at first, they'd make it half way and she'd call them back and head for the barn. I'm hoping they just wandered off and will return. I give them mealworms every morning, I would think they'd be back by now, but still keeping my fingers crossed that they turn up.

I'll have to get more details from the neighbor, but it sounded like his just disappeared without a trace too. Don't know how many birds or if it was day or night, cooped or free range. I'll have to find out.

 

[dianneS]

I had a Fox attack last week...My Ducks were deathly silent during the attack...The Chickens were the screamers..Fox killed one Chick and stashed it..Ran off with the other..It came back several times in the next two days...I am dealing with Two or Three Fox..One lures my Dogs away and the other one comes to the Pens..
Once they get a meal they don't stop ....

We had a fox last year take all my khaki campbells. He came back again and again. Got one each night and always left a carcass. I never had a fox take more than one at a time. Unless this is a family?

 

[chickens really]

We had a fox last year take all my khaki campbells. He came back again and again. Got one each night and always left a carcass. I never had a fox take more than one at a time. Unless this is a family?

The Den is next door...Was not told till after the attack..All my Chicks feathers are at the Den..The other Chick I found was placed next to a tree and died in my hands..No Blood..
I was informed by Wildlife that the mother more than likely left the Kits and Den so I have hungry weaned Kits that have not left the Den yet...