Will Ducks and/or Geese Kill AND eat chickens?

[Miltonchix]

I had, key word is HAD, 10 3 week old chicks and a turkey that I was raising together with 1 Goose, 3 Ducks. They were all the same age. Hatched within hours of each other.
I started having what I thought was chicks cannabalizing each other until the only ones left are the ducks and goose. Everything was consumed except the wings, heads and feet. Nothing is getting in with them, unless it can fit thru a one inch hole.
They were checked on several times during the day and seemed fine, all huddled and/or waddling around together. No pecking at each other to speak of. But in the morning there would be from 1 to 3 birds dead. There is lots of room at the feeder and waterer. The ducks and goose have a small wading pond they seem to enjoy.
Help! Please!

 

[ruth]

Hi Miltonhix - while I am new to chick raising - I'm willing to bet a million dollars that a 3 week old goose or baby duck did not kill and eat 10 baby chicks leaving only wings, heads and feet. You have a predator of some sort. Visit the predator forum page and you will learn a lot about predators - I know I did - and that they can get through a 1" wire - especially at night when no one's looking. Visit that page and you'll find lots of people with lots of experience with predators. So far, thank the Lord, I haven't lost any and mine are in an open run with no top but I do have what I call my guard dog, Rex. Of course he's not always on duty so I know that I have to do something with the top but I know from reading the other posts that it is virtually impossible to totally predator-proof the chicks.

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

I dont know if they will eat chickens but I do know they peak at each other I had 6 baby goslings and three ducklings in a brooder together At three weeks of age they started pecking the smaller goslings. I was told they were too crowded so I moved them outside into a larger area It seems to have worked. I was told not to brood chicks with geese and ducks as they make the brooder too wet.

 

[Miltonchix]

I can find no sign of any animal getting in. A snake would swallow a chick whole and then not be able to get back out until it digested the bird enough to sqeeze back through the 1 inch hole.
My coop is totally enclosed. Top, sides, etc.
I'm in the Florida Panhandle (Lower Alabama

).
Does anyone know if there are weasels or relatives to weasels here?

 

[Frozen Feathers]

What about rats?? If their head can fit the rest of their body can. Having had rats as pets I know they can be sneaky and definitely fit in a hole that small.

I believe that a young duck or goose would not do something like that to your chicks. At most they may stomp all over them and you may find a few with broken necks, legs etc, but not torn to bits. My bet is on a rat and more likely rats.

 

[rufus]

I suggest you not mix poultry species or breeds of birds. I see people doing it all the time, but I also see people having problems all of the time.

When we had poultry, we also kept different generations separate. This reduced pecking and cannibalism.

Each breed had its own chicken yard. We never allowed any other people's animals on our property. We never traded animals with anyone. We did buy chicks and eggs from the hatchery, but the were always disease free.

I suspect your predator was the turkey.

Rufus

 

[hinkjc]

I would bet rat or some type of weasel. Here are some links for you.

http://www.outdooralabama.com/watchable-wildlife/what/Mammals/Carnivores/m.cfm

http://www.outdooralabama.com/hunting/articles/weasel.cfm

http://www.nsis.org/wildlife/mamm/weasel.html

Jody

 

[Miltonchix]

The turkey was one of the first casualties. The ducks and goose, so far, seem to be okay. They are quite a bit larger than the chicks were. But I do think the weasel or rat is a good possiblity. I do have quite a problem with moles, and since moles are one of the weasels main sources for food .......chicks would be easy prey in comparison.
And it has ALWAYS occured between 10pm (when my wife "puts them to bed") and 2am (when I get home from work)

 

[Chatychick]

Yep sounds like a coon got them or maybe a rat or even a hawk...thats what it sounds like to me as the hawk will leave the feet and sometimes the coon will carry it off...were there feathers near the water as coons like to wash what they eat and they can climb also...they love to climb chicken wire real easy...I got some netting and put it on top of my baby chick pen and it has helped alot with the hawks and coons also. As far as I know the ducks and geese wont eat a chicken or turkey...the chicks and turkey will peck each other...the ducks and geese will terrorize the chicks..but as far as seating something else is getting them...do you have a top on your pen? if not you might want to try some net or chicken wire on top to stop the problems...Good Luck

 

[Miltonchix]

Quote:
I did consider a coon, even found coon tracks in my driveway, but it is impossible for one to get in. I took coons into consideration when building my coop. I also made it hawk proof; completely enclosed. I just, as in 10 minutes ago, took a shot at a marauding cat. I do have a BIG problem with feral cats. Usually a near miss and they get the hint.