Mysterious duck attack and lonely duck

[DailyDuckDrama]

I hatched 3 indian runner ducks which all turned out to be drakes in the summer of 2023 and one of them was born with cerebral palsy (everyone say that they didn't know ducks could have it and neither did I) on New Year's eve 2024 I came home around dusk and I couldn't find the special one. I eventually found his body with his chest torn open. I was heartbroken as he was my baby and my first pet. Just 2 nights ago, march 7th, another one attacked and killed the same way, but this time in the middle of the day. I am so heartbroken and confused about what had attacked them. ( in the middle of the day!) The first one I found had been dragged about meters away from the pen, and the other was left in the middle of the pen. Does anyone have any idea of what killed them. And also the last duck that survived both attacks is now lonely and sad, what should I do (I cant get more ducks).

 

[davez]

Get more ducks. Maybe just one. Else give yours away. Or spend all of your waking hours being a friend to the remaining one. Or get it some other companion animal. My off the cuff guess is a weasel or mink type animal.

 

[KathiQuacks]

So sorry about your boys. Weasel or mink is a good guess.

How come you can’t get more ducks? If you truly can’t get more, I would give your remaining boy a mirror for now and then look into rehoming him. It’s not fair that he live without his own kind.

 

[DailyDuckDrama]

Get more ducks. Maybe just one. Else give yours away. Or spend all of your waking hours being a friend to the remaining one. Or get it some other companion animal. My off the cuff guess is a weasel or mink type animal.

thanks, but it's hard to get another one, especially since the others were his brothers. I'm also in high school, so I don't have many waking hours to be with him ( I do spend all the rest of my time with him though) and he would be more depressed if I gave him away since he imprinted on me. It is also not that simple for me to give him away. He wasn't raised for eggs or meat, he was raised as a pet and I have a strong emotional connection to him.

 

[DailyDuckDrama]

Get more ducks. Maybe just one. Else give yours away. Or spend all of your waking hours being a friend to the remaining one. Or get it some other companion animal. My off the cuff guess is a weasel or mink type animal.

Would you recommend me getting a guard goose to keep him company, as well as keep him safe?

 

[davez]

Would you recommend me getting a guard goose to keep him company, as well as keep him safe?

That is something to consider. I dont know how they would get along. I would definitely use a baby goose to start. I am entertaining that exact idea for my small flock of bantams. But I am nervous about it. BUT I can handle the goose separately if it doesnt work as planned. Imprinting goes away as the duck grows. The may like you but they will forget about you pretty quickly when they find a nice place with a pond and lots of friends. Get a second opinion on the goose idea before executing on it. I have not actually done it yet. And work to increase the security of their enclosure so predators cant get in. Also, if it was a weasel, Im not sure if a goose would be safe either.

 

[DailyDuckDrama]

That is something to consider. I dont know how they would get along. I would definitely use a baby goose to start. I am entertaining that exact idea for my small flock of bantams. But I am nervous about it. BUT I can handle the goose separately if it doesnt work as planned. Imprinting goes away as the duck grows. The may like you but they will forget about you pretty quickly when they find a nice place with a pond and lots of friends. Get a second opinion on the goose idea before executing on it. I have not actually done it yet. And work to increase the security of their enclosure so predators cant get in. Also, if it was a weasel, Im not sure if a goose would be safe either.

Thanks, I'm working on saving up to buy a fully enclosed predator proof run for around his house. Right now I have a pen that has a galvanized steel mesh fence about 4 1/2 feet tall around their predator proof house. (which I put him in every night.) It's also hard to get more ducks because the closest farm that sells indian runners is 4 hours away (and I can't drive) I also don't think I can get any other types of ducks.

 

[DailyDuckDrama]

That is something to consider. I dont know how they would get along. I would definitely use a baby goose to start. I am entertaining that exact idea for my small flock of bantams. But I am nervous about it. BUT I can handle the goose separately if it doesnt work as planned. Imprinting goes away as the duck grows. The may like you but they will forget about you pretty quickly when they find a nice place with a pond and lots of friends. Get a second opinion on the goose idea before executing on it. I have not actually done it yet. And work to increase the security of their enclosure so predators cant get in. Also, if it was a weasel, Im not sure if a goose would be safe either.

Thanks, I'm working on saving up to buy a fully enclosed predator proof run for around his house. Right now I have a pen that has a galvanized steel mesh fence about 4 1/2 feet tall around their predator proof house. (which I put him in every night.) It's also hard to get more ducks because the closest farm that sells indian runners is 4 hours away (and I can't drive) I also don't think I can get any other types of ducks.

 

[ruthhope]

Would you recommend me getting a guard goose to keep him company, as well as keep him safe?

I do not think a goose can guard against a mink or fisher attack. Can you make a protected area for example in your garage, where your boy can be safe while you are at school? I used two dog pens clipped together to make an area in a shed for my ducks. I put the pen on top of a tarp that I clipped up round the outside, to keep the pine-shaving bedding inside the pen and not all over the shed. Zip ties are cheap to use if you don't have clips available. It's better that your boy is in a smaller but safe place than out in the back garden when you are not there.

I have a tightly bonded muscovy drake that I rescued and raised from being a little newly hatched, fluffie. He follows me round and thinks he should live in the house not the duck coop, but he doesn't pine away when I have to leave my ducks in the care of a friend. It's you, like me, who is emotionally involved in the relationship. If you cannot make a secure place for your boy and cannot get him a friend, you need to think hard about how painful it will be if the predator comes back for him. It really will be less painful to give him to a good safe home than have him torn apart by a predator. Many backyard duckkeepers consider their ducks as pets! My boy is cuddly (and very bitey at this time of year if I do not give him enough attention) and definitely a pet!! The are plenty more of us who might be able to give him a good safe home, depending on where you live!

 

[KathiQuacks]

he would be more depressed if I gave him away since he imprinted on me.

Sorry, but this is just not true. He would be more depressed without duck friends.

Would you recommend me getting a guard goose to keep him company, as well as keep him safe?

No. A goose will not necessarily guard him. The goose may just injure or kill him instead. He will be less happy with a goose. And the goose will be less happy with a duck. Do not do this.

You need to do what’s right for your boy. I understand being upset, but keeping him alone, or keeping him with a different species is not the answer.