Mink / Stoat / Weasel / Fox? What has Killed My Ducks?

[Tim]

If you do not want to see photos of dead birds, please do not scroll down...

...but I feel they are important to show as part of the evidence...

Sadly, over night I lost 4 adult Abacot Ranger ducks to an unknown predator (suspected Fox, Mink, Stoat or Weasel).

They were behind an electric fence (tape) and chicken wire fence that is 6ft high in our garden run (only used at night time to allow the ducks to stay out and keep the ducks safe from the fox). There are no signs of digging or forced entry.

3 out of the 4 ducks were buried in the run, 2 drakes had their heads removed - these may also be buried somewhere in the run, I didn't have time to look for them under the bushes this morning when I left at 6am.

1 duck had most feathers removed from her neck and the other had just a very small area ripped out on the front of her neck to get to the jugular - a small slot that would fit about 3 fingers.

The bodies were still warm so I suspect this happened at first light.

Below are some photos of the buried ducks and the damage done to the 2 ducks. In one of the photos, you can see the scrape marks on the soil where it has scraped the top soil around the duck.

Since the bite to the front of the neck is so small on the one duck and no bodies were taken, and there is an electric tape around the run, I'm not ruling out a fox ...but whatever it is I'm sure it will be back.

I have not heard of Stoats / Weasels attacking such a large bird - Guinea Fowl size is about the largest I have heard of and I know foxes will bury their prey - but leaving them all behind?

For the last month, there has been an absence of rabbits in the field. There are normally many young rabbits hopping around at this time of year. I have also 'lost' some duck eggs from the run in the last 2 weeks but this could be children...

Does anyone have any more ideas on this? I plan to set a cage rabbit live catch trap tonight and keep a watch for foxes but I haven't had to deal with Mink before so I don't know if this is their typical behaviour or not.









Sorry for the awful photos but I felt they were important to show and might be crutial to identifying this predator.

Tim

 

[Davidd]

Hi Tim, really sorry for your loss - -foxes normally take their heads off- and just leave them lying- i think it's a mink-any musky smell around?- just my opinion-and whatever it was it will be back tonight- can you lock your birds away? until you identify and catch it?
regards David

 

[girlracer265]

so sorry this has happened tim, so many stories lately of birds lost to predators

 

[Tim]

I have emailed 3 really experienced keepers with 25 to 30 years experience each and every one said this is typical of a fox...

Yes, they will all be housed tonight David. I will check my electric fence for shorts too. It is possible the grass has grown and is touching, I will have to check. With the heavy rain, this could have provided a good short circuit last night.

They said foxes will bury their prey to come back later. I have seen this before but only away from the run. Perhaps they were too heavy to carry over a 6ft fence...? The small slot / damage to the one duck could still have been a fox they say - I suppose the fox could have pinned the duck down and just pulled at the neck with its front teeth although I am surprised it didn't just grab the whole neck and break it / tear the head off.

I'm not totally convinced - however I will set a trap for mink tonight and be up at 4am tomorrow. I will be waiting in the treehouse (that doubles up as a POW style watch tower over the birds once a camoflage net is thrown over it!) because foxes tend to come back at the same time every day...

I will search the hedgerows in the surrounding fields for other signs later too - the odd stray white feather, signs of a den, rabbit paws, remains and pheasant wings and so on... I need to get this well and truely sorted because I have over 20 ducklings out in the field on grass during the day as well as adult stock.

Look out Mr. Fox I'm coming....:twisted:

 

[Davidd]

Good Hunting
regards, David

 

[Anne W]

So sorry Tim - what a shock it must have been! Everyones nightmare! Have to say it doesn't look typical of fox damage - just a feeling I get - as you say they normally take the head off not mutilate the neck. Really hope you catch the culprit.

 

[Cheviot]

What a dreadful thing to have happen, hope you are lucky and catch it quickly.
Regards
Sue

 

[Tim]

OK so I've had some more time to look for clues tonight. Nothing obvious in the immediate area. I've checked the usual areas in the hedgerows for dens and runs in the grass but there are no well used paths by the look of things.

I did find a small branch and a tuft of grass shorting the electric fence which I have now removed.

I also found the 2 missing heads buried where the bodies were.

I'm planning on an early start at first light to wait and watch to see if anything comes back.

What a day. First time I've lost birds since I was 7 years old when a fox got into the chicken house and killed all 30 birds we had. I still remember that vividly too, it is one of those things that will always be with me.

Tim

 

[Anonymous]

foxes , they kill all birds and not even take them for fun ,also will teach young how to kill this way, we had 6 runners taken a bit back head off and left defo fox. or could be badger they are ruthless also..yesterday found a dead oldish duckling had peck holes and guts pulled out, probably large crow/raven. ive also heard of stories of birds of prey taking stock , they are released or fly off tether then go wild.

 

[podstable]

So sorry Tim--Id guess a fox or dog. Hope you get it whatever it is. Ros

 

[Tim]

I've been up early every morning and have been out a few nights too but I still haven't caught him. I have seen him though. It's a young fox and he has been back, just not in a suitable place where I can speak to him to ask him not to come back again....

It's difficult to explain but the house and garden are along a road and basically I've been looking across the fields at the back of the house for foxes. The road side has a 6ft wooden panel fence and 3ft thick hedge - there is no way a fox could get through without digging.

The fox I saw has quite litterally 'foxed' me - he was walking up the centre of the main road - along the white line and then getting into the garden the way we would come - under a car port and along a driveway...

Clever Mr. Fox...

 

[Anonymous]

6ft fence would br nothing to a fox ...can you set a fox trap or try conntacting local shooting club .. they prob have rifle men on books who would shoot it for fun ...

 

[Tim]

The rifle man is no problem but the location is. There are no safe backstops in the garden - the one side is a road, the top of the garden is a garage and the bottom, the house. The other side are fields sloping downwards. I am also not technically licensed to shoot in the garden, only the fields.

All other foxes I have seen have come from the fields so I haven't had a problem - this one is coming in the way a car would or under the fence.

It's difficult to describe the fence - basically it's 6ft wood panel but there is a further 4ft or so of dense conifer hedge growing over the top and bulging out. There are gaps along the bottom though that a fox could squeeze through anyway, or he could come in the route the car would come and go under a car port to get into the garden.

All of the birds are being housed at night now and I am getting an alarm for my electric fence. I will keep watching for Mr Fox and I'm sure we will meet one day where I can have a word with him..