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Read Thread: Lost two of my cool ducks yesterday. :(

Lost two of my cool ducks yesterday. :(
Board: Critter Corner
Sep 22, 2010 3:18am
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Some of you know, I'm downsizing my farm. The only foul I decided to keep, was 5 hens and 2 really cool ducks. For some reason, watching those ducks freerange, was very peaceful to me. They always stayed within hearing distance of my voice and watched everything I did.

Yesterday, I noticed they didn't eat their food that morning and I started searching. The nest of a dozen eggs, that the female was getting ready to sit on was totally void of all the eggs and both ducks were no where to be found.

Last night, I did find a ton of feathers in the field so I know something got them. :( Sad. The weird part to me, was not only seeing the ducks gone, but having the nest that was inside the chicken shed, totally cleaned out!!

Wonder what is roaming my yard? Any ideas? The dogs usually do a good job of keeping other wild animals off the property. Whatever came in, snuck around all four dogs! Now if my own dogs had been vomiting, I would know it was them. They have been fine and eating all their dog food, so they aren't the ones stealing the eggs and eating my ducks.

Whatever it is, hope it doesn't nest under my barn for the winter. :(
Tri-Colored Paws
Re: Lost two of my cool ducks yesterday. :(
Board: Critter Corner
Reply to: #547380 by Tri-Colored Paws
Sep 22, 2010 5:12am
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I'm not sure what eats ducks and duck eggs; but, maybe a fox?
Re: Lost two of my cool ducks yesterday. :(
Board: Critter Corner
Reply to: #547392 by Sharkboy and Lavagirl
Sep 22, 2010 5:33am
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would a fox take the shells? and leave the chickens??
sounds a little too selective to me

romana
Re: Lost two of my cool ducks yesterday. :(
Board: Critter Corner
Reply to: #547380 by Tri-Colored Paws
Sep 22, 2010 6:09am
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Wonder what is roaming my yard?

Are there coyotes in your area?
Re: Lost two of my cool ducks yesterday. :(
Board: Critter Corner
Reply to: #547380 by Tri-Colored Paws
Sep 22, 2010 6:59am
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Raccoons?
Re: Lost two of my cool ducks yesterday. :(
Board: Critter Corner
Reply to: #547380 by Tri-Colored Paws
Sep 22, 2010 7:03am
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Aww...big hugs to you. Sorry you have lost two of your special pets. I enjoy watching and feeding the ducks that hang around the pond in my backyard too. I love being able to just open my screen door and hear them out there quacking. They are peaceful animals so I'm really sad to hear that they are both gone (as well as their potential future offspring).
Re: Lost two of my cool ducks yesterday. :(
Board: Critter Corner
Reply to: #547380 by Tri-Colored Paws
Sep 22, 2010 7:38am
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Tri-Colored Paws -

I am so sorry to hear about your ducks and their eggs. How very sad.

My first thought when reading of the ducks - was a large bird of prey, a hawk or owl. A hawk or owl is capable of swooping in and grabbing a duck without alerting the watchful dogs. However, not sure they would bother the eggs. You may keep an eye to the skies though - with migration going on you may have a flying predator passing thru.

Again - so sorry to hear of this loss.
Re: Lost two of my cool ducks yesterday. :(
Board: Critter Corner
Reply to: #547380 by Tri-Colored Paws
Sep 23, 2010 5:20am
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Thanks for all your thoughts on the ducks and what could have happened to them. We are now thinking fox. Whatever it was, was small enough to go into the chicken shed and steal the eggs. An egg was found in the middle of my lawn after I got out of work, which means the critter is roaming during the day also.

No, my chickens are not safe and it seems like a matter of time before they go also. :( I will do what I can and hope the momma hen that has her nest in the loft of my big barn can stay safe so we can at least have some babes. I will pen up the babes and momma in the big barn, if she is successful.

The other thought that crossed my husbands mind yesterday was the fact that our stream that runs the boarder of our property is very low this year. Animals, even cayotes, would be able to walk across it very easily. This is the first time that has happened since we moved here. We actually may have more problems because of this. The dogs don't usually mark the stream area because we've never had problems down there before. Guess it's time to take the dogs on walks in another direction.

Tri-Colored Paws

P.S. I did find a bunch of white feathers in the field so I know at least one is truely gone and not suffering from injuries. Wish I knew the same for the second one.
Re: Lost two of my cool ducks yesterday. :(
Board: Critter Corner
Reply to: #547757 by Tri-Colored Paws
Sep 30, 2010 6:26pm
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Very sad...I had a goose that was taken with her eggs by a female coon nursing babies. That was in late spring though...I am betting fox on your ducks. They have no problem coming out in the daylight when they have kits. Good luck! My .22 is loaded by the back door! Terrio
Re: Lost two of my cool ducks yesterday. :(
Board: Critter Corner
Reply to: #550003 by terrio
Oct 1, 2010 4:17am
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Aww, sorry to hear about your goose and her eggs. :( I used to love my geese. They were so loyal to me. Just like my dogs. When I was in my house, they would sleep right outside the window where I was sitting. If I got up and moved into my kitchen, they moved too. It was really funny. The geese were the one animal sound I could here without hearing aids. It was like having a watch dog outside, 24-7. The only problem was.....they didn't like other people. :( They were fine until a visting teenager decided to kick one of the males. From then on, it was hard to visit my house, unannounced. I had to pen them up when company came. :(

Whatever has been coming in, nab a pet rooster out of my big barn, too. I've been working so much outside the home, that I'm hardly ever here anymore. Guess the wildlife is starting to look at this place like the local diner. :(

Tri-Colored Paws