# Something got one of my ducks



## ratherboutside (Mar 19, 2010)

I figured this may be the place for this topic. Last night, something killed one of my ducks by tearing it's throat and neck out. It tried to kill another that is still alive thankfully but I think she lost an eye. The damage was to the head and mostly the neck on this one as well. I think it's a weasel but I was also thinking it could be a raccoon. 

Any ideas on what it is and how to catch and kill the little bastard. **** we always catch in live traps but I have no idea how to catch a mink or weasel.


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## fishdip (Dec 29, 2010)

Trailcams will tell you what it is and go from there,good luck.


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## jrose (Aug 17, 2011)

My brother had something killing his chickens at night. Sometime the head would be gone others just the neck was partially ate. He went to the coup before going to work to see if there were any more fatalities over the evening and low and behold there was an owl in the coup with the chickens! Don't know what type, "Big!" according to my brother. He let the owl out of the coup and fixed the area the it was entering, no more dead chickens!


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## ratherboutside (Mar 19, 2010)

I am gonna try to secure the pen better and use a trail cam but I only have 3 left so I can't really lose alot more. I thought owls usually eat the guts?


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## chuckinduck (May 28, 2003)

I raise chickens and 95% of all my predation is done by ***** and during the spring of the year. To date I've lost 8 birds this spring.


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## Live Action (Jul 18, 2013)

I have had a few in counters with ***** but my problem has been consistently with opossums. If you can a motion light has solved my problems along with closing up the coop at night.


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## Chappy410 (Sep 20, 2014)

Great Horned Owls will eat the head and necks of pheasants. Seen this frequently when I used to hunt in Iowa. I imagine they would do the same with ducks and chickens.
I guess we will have to wait to see if anything shows up on the trail camera.


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## ratherboutside (Mar 19, 2010)

A bird can't get in th coup. It is covered over the top. I found the breach. I am pretty sure it is a raccoon based on the size of the hole it made. It pulled open a previous patch that the previous owners did. I set live traps last night and it defiantly visited but reached his arm through the back to get to the bait. I will have to remedy this tonight.


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## jr9912 (Dec 2, 2008)

I use Duke dog proof traps from F&T in Alpena. They are under $13 each and I have never caught anything but raccoons with them A little peanut butter below the trigger and stake it beside the coop. Works really well to keep down the raccoon population.


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## chuckinduck (May 28, 2003)

ratherboutside said:


> A bird can't get in th coup. It is covered over the top. I found the breach. I am pretty sure it is a raccoon based on the size of the hole it made. It pulled open a previous patch that the previous owners did. I set live traps last night and it defiantly visited but reached his arm through the back to get to the bait. I will have to remedy this tonight.



***** have an uncanny way to expose flaws. I once lost pullets when they opened my removable floor and pulled them through the crack. Unreal what they can do.


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## micooner (Dec 20, 2003)

Had something getting my pullets thru 2x4 fencing thought ***** at first so set some traps turned out to be a momma fox tending some pups.


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## ratherboutside (Mar 19, 2010)

So far I have caught the neighbors cat twice. I have seen a raccoon around the pole barn recently but I have been unable to trap him yet. Of course with the cat coming and eating the sardines every bleeping night, it is hard to catch the raccoon.


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## woodsrider (Feb 6, 2009)

Try using marshmallows with maple syrup in a cup it always works great for me with *****. I have never caught a cat using marshmallows.


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## ratherboutside (Mar 19, 2010)

woodsrider said:


> Try using marshmallows with maple syrup in a cup it always works great for me with *****. I have never caught a cat using marshmallows.


My father made the same suggestion.


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## 9 (Jan 17, 2000)

Buy some strawberry flavored marshmellows OR BETTER YET buy regular marshmellows and a packet of strawberry jello. Coat the marshmellows with the intense jello powder, you and the ****, minus the cats are good to go!


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## Waif (Oct 27, 2013)

A single whole egg has accounted for ***** live trapped at a friends years back.


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## starky (Jun 19, 2006)

My daughter and son in law recently lost about 8 chickens. Just gone, no carcass or anything. What might that be?


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## grapestomper (Jan 9, 2012)

How about the neighbors??


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## ratherboutside (Mar 19, 2010)

starky said:


> My daughter and son in law recently lost about 8 chickens. Just gone, no carcass or anything. What might that be?


That sound more like a coyote or fox. That ussually carry the animal off with them.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

Honey is also a great **** bait. Not attractive to much else other than an occasional grinner. I just bought one of those bears full of honey. A few squirts in and empty tuna fish size can put behind the pan on a live trap does the job.

Just don't forget to put a stake down through the live trap as a big **** can roll it up side down and escape.


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## otterk (Dec 24, 2012)

I am guessing coyote. I had one trying to get into my chickens last night. The plott hounds were going crazy. The coyote went into the brush and started yapping. It all woke me up so I yipped right back at him for 3-4 minutes before he moved on. If not for the hounds I think he would got one.


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