Will a squirrel kill a duckling?

[Breemae123]

I seen a squirell eat the inside of a chipmonk one time

Ugh. That’s awful.

 

[casportpony]

I live in-town so there aren’t a lot of foxes and bobcats. I will look into the netting. Thanks!

Most towns I have lived in have had skunks, opossums, and raccoons.

 

[Skye'sDucks]

The squirrels here never ate any of my ducklings, even when they were very tiny. They are gray squirrels. So I'm unsure if that's actually a thing? The same with crows. (I saw someone mention a crow will eat a baby earlier on the thread)

I live in a neighborhood, and we have had raccoons, that's killed one of my ducks before, cats, and plenty of opossums. Depending on your area, you could have other predators as well.

All the ones I listed above can climb that type of wooden fence very easily, as other people have said before. If you know you have predators, you probably want to cover it with netting. (If you can)

 

[Austradork1819]

Squirrels do rob bird nests of eggs and babies. They are as opportunistic as any other critter craving protein. Was the duckling visibly injured?

 

[Breemae123]

The squirrels here never ate any of my ducklings, even when they were very tiny. They are gray squirrels. So I'm unsure if that's actually a thing? The same with crows. (I saw someone mention a crow will eat a baby earlier on the thread)

I live in a neighborhood, and we have had raccoons, that's killed one of my ducks before, cats, and plenty of opossums. Depending on your area, you could have other predators as well.

All the ones I listed above can climb that type of wooden fence very easily, as other people have said before. If you know you have predators, you probably want to cover it with netting. (If you can)

Yes, I think that’s what I’ll end up doing.

 

[Breemae123]

Squirrels do rob bird nests of eggs and babies. They are as opportunistic as any other critter craving protein. Was the duckling visibly injured?

Nope. Not at all. I’m kinda baffled lol like I said before there isn’t a way for them to get out (that I could see). I will still get some wood and fix up the fence a bit more. Just in case. Netting, too.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Most towns I have lived in have had skunks, opossums, and raccoons.

I lived pretty center in a town of 450,000 people in southern California, and dark and early one morning I NEEDED something for my coffee and I saw a kit fox scurrying across the parking lot of the super market.

I already realized squirrel are rodents, but glad to have my eyes open even wider.

Yes, crows take chicks... don't doubt it.

And I have seen my OWN (chicken) flock eat a fledgling they found.

I personally hate most that netting and consider it a major death trap to much wildlife. I know it cheap, lightweight, and convenient... I switched to wire after rescuing 1 too many other birds form it. Maybe deer netting won't be as bad??? Good luck!

 

[Breemae123]

This morning I heard one of my ducklings outside my window so I ran out and sure enough the little guy was out of the ‘duck run’. I heard something run away up in the tree. I grabbed him and put him back.

This happened once before and I sealed up any possible holes the baby could have escaped from but now I am thinking it was an animal but when I go outside I only see
The duckling.

I checked the pen again today and I can’t see a way the little guy could have escaped. The pen is completely fenced in with a 6 foot fence.

I found a hole in the fence that you can’t see from inside the pen. I bought new fence planks and sealed it. I only found it when my neighbor said one of my ducklings was outside the fence and he was right next to the hole, ha ha.

 

[NoahSully]

I'v never seen a squirrel eat a bird, but I've seen a squirrel kill a bird because it was eating grain/seed that the squirrel wanted.