what's killing my ducks

[rescuegrl]

I'm fairly new to ducks and recently there's something killing them. I live near lots of woods and two nights ago something got into our coop and killed one of our ducks, it left the head but took the body. At first we thought it was a skunk so we boarded up the bottom, then again last night something took another duck this time it ate only the meat of the throat and neck and left the rest (head and body still attached to the spinal cord). Whatever got into the coop did not go under, so we think it might have gone over; however there were no tracks or other signs besides the dead duck. Does anybody have suggestions on what it could be?

 

[2505]

Hove you got a pen to put them in? How high is it?

 

[nyrunner]

Probably a raccoon I have a huge problem with raccoons here. You have to make sure every part of their coup is sealed and when you think you've done a good enougj job go over it again and make sure

 

[Amiga]

It will be back until either you secure the coop or it kills them all. Very sad, but you don't have any leeway once a predator finds its way in.

If you have a sturdy well-ventilated structure, that's what they need. Half inch metal hardware cloth over any opening - doors with serious latches - I use keyed padlocks. Raccoons can fiddle with latches and open them. They are also strong enough to pull or push doors with any give - they only need a gap wide enough to reach in - they will pull the duck out piece by piece.

There is a Predators and Pests forum where there is expertise in identifying predators.

 

[TLWR]

Whatever got into the coop did not go under, so we think it might have gone over;

What do you mean by "over"
Is your coop open on top?

You have a predator that has found an easy free meal and it will return to continue with those easy free meals until you prevent it from getting in.
Make sure things can't dig under to get in through the floor
Make sure any openings are covered with hardware cloth
Make sure any doors are secured (raccoons are crafty/nimble critters)

Any openings for air need to be very very small. A raccoon will reach in and pull a duck bits and pieces out of the holes if they can't get in themselves.

 

[rescuegrl]

We do not have a netting on there enclosure because it is so large but we did make them a temporary coop to put them in at night whatever it was didn't get any of the live ducks . We plan on making a better more permanent one soon . My neighbor is almost positive that it was an owl but I didn't think an owl would make a kill and eat it on the spot ? And would the ducks stop quacking ?