[Gore warning] What could have done this?

[CrazyCochin]

Trigger warning: death and Gore


Yesterday evening, we found one of our female runner, ducks, torn apart up on a sitting bench we have in there outside yard. Whatever the predator was, it killed it on the ground by their fence, then left it up on top of the bench.

It happened yesterday afternoon while the family and I had been away from the house. In broad daylight, may I add.

Half of their big pen is netted and fenced in and secure, the other half they have their pools with an uncovered, fenced-in yard.

We have had raccoons take our precious ducks last year, but were able to track and release a couple of them. Could this be a raccoon? Perhaps a predatory bird? Or something totally different?

 

[Penpal]

A raccoon starts eating at the head, then the neck, and if it is still hungry, the shoulders. This was probably a possum, possibly a mother with children. Animals that can climb trees can climb the fence you have. I would get an electric fence.

 

[Chickenshannanigans]

Trigger warning: death and Gore


Yesterday evening, we found one of our female runner, ducks, torn apart up on a sitting bench we have in there outside yard. Whatever the predator was, it killed it on the ground by their fence, then left it up on top of the bench.

It happened yesterday afternoon while the family and I had been away from the house. In broad daylight, may I add.

Half of their big pen is netted and fenced in and secure, the other half they have their pools with an uncovered, fenced-in yard.

We have had raccoons take our precious ducks last year, but were able to track and release a couple of them. Could this be a raccoon? Perhaps a predatory bird? Or something totally different?View attachment 3884542
View attachment 3884550

Aww I’m so sorry.

 

[lagrange chicks]

Could have been a hawk/eagle, duck might have been to heavy for it to fly away. Sorry.

 

[CrazyCochin]

Thank you all for the condolences. It seems obvious that it would be a bird. Unfortunately nobody was home, but we put out a trap that evening.

We’ll see what the next few days hold.

 

[CrazyCochin]

A raccoon starts eating at the head, then the neck, and if it is still hungry, the shoulders. This was probably a possum, possibly a mother with children. Animals that can climb trees can climb the fence you have. I would get an electric fence.

I didn’t really think of that. We’ve had possums nail our chickens too.

We have all of our poultry enclosures surrounded with hot wire that is always on. We set it up last year after we started having possum and raccoon problems. The only time it’s off is when we have to trek behind the henhouse to get eggs from the back of the egg boxes. But then the wire is plugged back in and ready to roll.