# Need help identifying a predator



## thomcarol (Feb 3, 2012)

Please help me figure out what got our duck this morning. We have a 4 acre field behind our house that we have cut out a path that dead ends into some woods. This morning sometime between 5:30 and 7, something got our drake. When I went looking for him I saw feathers scattered down the path in clumps. No blood, just feathers. Whatever it was drug him into the woods because the last clump of feathers was right at the mouth of the woods. Our duck hen is limping, so my guess is he was protecting her.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Could be raccoons , fox , dogs , you will most likely never know unless you set up early and watch since the predator knows where to get a meal now. Most likely will come back , so be aware. You can set up a video camera as well. Since you know what time this happened , try setting it out a bit before that time , see if you get lucky.
I had a few chickens , ducks go missing too. But now since we have had confirmed sightings of coyotes , anything is possible. Check for prints , that may give you a good idea too. Whatever it is , its big enough to immobilize its prey and carry it off without any fuss.
Im sorry for you loss


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## thomcarol (Feb 3, 2012)

I know, I hate that they will be back. I'll be out there in the morning with a gun. Unfortunately, it was in a grass field so no tracks can be seen. Our little hen is so sad, she won't eat. Hope she bounces back.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

thomcarol said:


> I know, I hate that they will be back. I'll be out there in the morning with a gun. Unfortunately, it was in a grass field so no tracks can be seen. Our little hen is so sad, she won't eat. Hope she bounces back.


Yeah , you gotta get em to stop em. 
Poor hen , keep her warm. There are a few people here with a lot of knowledge of fowl. Hopefully they come on and can offer some help for her.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Im sorry...we were hit last year...had 11 hens and three drakes...got down to three hens and two drakes...our problem were hawks and owls,..thankfully we hatched out several babies to replace them but the loss was still hard...your hen maybe in shock...keep her in a safe warm area with food and water easy to reach without having to get up too much...do you have any other ducks to keep her company?


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Sounds like a fox to me...so sorry :hug: Hope you get it quickly!


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## Springbett Farm (Jan 5, 2011)

A fox hit my farm last month, took 3 ducklings and my FAVORITE rooster and a hen. Then the fox went to my neighbor's house and took 5 young hens and a duck. Sounds like your predator had the same m.o.


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## PygmyMom (Mar 3, 2014)

Fox will snatch and grab... As will coyote. The feathers were left as your bird likely struggled. Had it been a **** there would have been a huge mess left behind. Large bird prey (owl, hawk, etc.) likely wouldn't leave a feather behind as they too snatch and grab and fly off to their own nests with their prey.... At least this is the case where we are... My bet is a fox.


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## thomcarol (Feb 3, 2012)

She has two 6 week old babies that aren't her own, but has raised since they hatched. She didn't really interact at all with them, after the drake got taken. They kind of put themselves up, under a tree opposite of her all day yesterday, but they seem uninjured. The whole thing probably shook them all up. I hope she gets back to taking the lead with them, as they seem to not want to go forage without her.

She is limping but I checked her over really well and she doesn't have any open wounds or broken bones, so I think she twisted something trying to run back.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Our ***** don't leave much mess. The big boar ***** here are about 30 lbs. Don't forget Opossums, they are pretty good predators as are Ermine, Fishers, Sables, and Mink.


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## thomcarol (Feb 3, 2012)

Holy cow, a 30 lb ****! We don't have anything like that around here, just normal *****. I wouldn't think it would be something small like a possum, since it had to drag him a couple of football field to the woods.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

thomcarol said:


> She has two 6 week old babies that aren't her own, but has raised since they hatched. She didn't really interact at all with them, after the drake got taken. They kind of put themselves up, under a tree opposite of her all day yesterday, but they seem uninjured. The whole thing probably shook them all up. I hope she gets back to taking the lead with them, as they seem to not want to go forage without her.
> 
> She is limping but I checked her over really well and she doesn't have any open wounds or broken bones, so I think she twisted something trying to run back.


Thats great no broken bones or open wounds. Keep checking her though , everyday , you don't want the flies to find something missed. If its not injury , its the shock that can be deadly. It will take some time , but once the shock passes and they survive that , they'll start coming around.

Like was mentioned , keep food and water close by , and warmth. The warmth is very important with shocky animals.

So sorry that happened  Sounds like she is in very good hands though


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## thomcarol (Feb 3, 2012)

She is doing better today, she foraged around with her babies this morning. Food and water are close by and with it being 96 the past few days I don't have to worry about her being too cool!


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## Laney3535 (Jun 25, 2012)

We have a bobcat do this once.... 2 sultans and a polish hen


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