what predator did this to my Muscovy drake ? (warning: graphic pic)

[Alice Acres]

Good news that you found your hens....and that whatever has been after your animals is NOT getting in anymore.
Fingers crossed that it continues!

 

[Royd Wood]

Hey I missed this post

Heres my thoughts eweinHiscare
Rule out the fox, coyote and racoon as you found the corpse pretty much in tact
Night time kill and only a small amount eaten would suggest owl but they do like eating brains so its possible your loyal old drake just keeled over and passed away. Domestic cats like eating ducks and chickens just after natural death. - Just another idea to think about.

 

[eweinHiscare]

Hey I missed this post

Heres my thoughts eweinHiscare
Rule out the fox, coyote and racoon as you found the corpse pretty much in tact
Night time kill and only a small amount eaten would suggest owl but they do like eating brains so its possible your loyal old drake just keeled over and passed away. Domestic cats like eating ducks and chickens just after natural death. - Just another idea to think about.

Royd, he had another drake, his buddy, and they always stayed together and slept by the gate.
The buddy was ok, unharmed but alone, so I went looking for the white drake.
There was a trail of feathers to far out in the pasture where his body was found half eaten (the pic).
He was dragged or chased out there, definitely not a natural death...

I keep the remaining drake and his two female Muscovys locked up with the geese now.

I have set a hav-a heart trap outside the gate baited with an egg every night (which I put in the frig during daytime) for 4 nights now but have not caught a thing.
I'm thinking it was a tough big possum who killed my white drake.

And he must be gone now...or can't get into the goose yard, I put hot wire around and the fence is 4" x 4" sheep fence...and some 2" x 4".
I'm still working on securing it even better.

 

[bonbean01]

You need to get Royd to come with his rake

 

[goat boy]

we had coons and opposums still do and they killed about 40 chickens('',%20''); we have just been cacthing ona after the other

 

[Tmaxson]

You need to get Royd to come with his rake

Very sorry for you loss, however this post made me laugh

 

[Mamaboid]

Hawks leave piles of feathers, but usually eat the bones, coons leave feathers, bone and a very clean carcass. Owls takes some prey away if they can carry it, if not they leave the same as a hawk. Foxes, Coyotes, and usually dogs carry off everything and hide it to eat later...the only thing I have ever had eat one of my chickens and leave it like that picture was a weasel. I interrupted his meal though, so not sure what it would have ended up being if I had not disturbed him.

 

[eweinHiscare]

You need to get Royd to come with his rake

ah yes! I just saw Royd's fox killing exploit with the rake on the other thread ! He is deadly with the tool !!

Grim Raker indeed !

 

[pdpo222]

We had owls killing ducks. It was a Great Horned Owl, but they only took the heads. If hunting is good for them they tend to eat only the brains and leave the body. We found our first headless duck and called Wildlife for the info. So I doubt it would be an owl.

 

[LMB]

I'm in Fayetteville NC and my duck was killed by a possum. I caught him in a fox trap. At first he was after her eggs. And one morning I went out and bam he was holding on to he chest and I had to put her down. I got some of her older eggs I found that smelled and caught him. Whatever killed your duck WILL be back. I promise u. Trap that bastard and shoot it.