ATORS & thieves

Guard against threats to your ducks and their eggs.

Skunks, snakes and owls — oh my! No matter where your property is located, your ducks are always under threat from a variety of predators that can wreak havoc. The best defense includes the installation of tight perimeter fencing and a secured duck house where your birds are kept every night and encouraged to nest. This list of predators is not exhaustive, but it covers many threats faced by duck farmers throughout the United States.

marauding mammals

Domestic dogs: When left to roam, well-fed domestic dogs often kill ducks and other poultry for sport. Evidence of dog strikes on a flock usually show multiple birds injured and mauled without any attempt to consume the kills. Dogs are best deterred through high fencing — 5 to 6 feet in height — along the entire perimeter; attacks can happen at any time of day.

Foxes: These stealthy predators leave behind little evidence of their nocturnal incursions. They usually attack a single adult duck sometime between dusk and dawn and carry the bird to their den before consuming

it. You can bury the bottom of your fencing — about a foot deep and angled outward — to prevent foxes and other burrowing animals from slipping or digging under fences.

Opossums: These nocturnal opportunists go after eggs, adult birds and their feed. Evidence of an opossum visit might include crushed and chewed eggshells found in the nest or a single dead bird opened at the abdomen to eat the organ meat favored by these nuisances. Losses from opossums can be limited by installing a single electrified strand at the top of your perimeter fence to discourage climbing mammals.

Raccoons: Clever and determined, the masked bandits are responsible for the nighttime deaths of many ducks and ducklings. Raccoon predation can be identified by distinctive behaviors: the heads of waterfowl chewed completely off, the breast and crop opened, and entrails sometimes consumed. Multiple ducks often die in a single night, and eggs might be stolen, too. Raccoons are known to grab ducks through fencing and attempt to pull them through, injuring and killing birds in the process. Like opossums, raccoons are excellent climbers; an electrified strand atop of the fence will help deter them. Any overhanging branches along the fence line should be trimmed to limit access.

Skunks: The pungent mammals and notorious egg thieves are primarily nocturnal foragers and will not typically attack adult ducks. Their chief interest is in eggs and

Guardian Animals

Guard animals can reduce duck predation by fending off predators or raising a warning.

some of the best-known guardian animals are dogs. specifically the genetics and training of breeds such as Great Pyrenees, anatolian, akbash and komondor make them well-suited for integration within flocks of waterfowl and other poultry.

other guardians such as llamas and donkeys can be quite effective against foxes, coyotes and dogs.

the inclusion of geese or guinea fowl within a flock can provide noisy warnings about predators in the area. occasionally ducklings. Visits might be detected by a faint skunk odor and from eggs that have been punched open at the end. The best protection against skunk predation is a tightly closed duck house and a single electrified strand installed 4 or 5 inches above the ground on the outside of your fencing.

Weasels/minks: These related mammals are true carnivores known for slipping through the tiniest of openings in pursuit of adult ducks and their eggs. Attacks occur largely at night and result in the death of multiple birds, many more than could be consumed by the predator. Tiny sharp teeth marks can be found around the neck and the side of the head, which are the only portions of duck typically consumed. Additionally, the dead birds might be neatly stacked after the kill. The best protection against weasels and minks is using a fine hardware cloth (quarter inch or smaller) to cover every possible opening to the duck house.

Avian ASSAILANTS

Owls: Of all the owl species in the United States, the primary threat to waterfowl is the Great Horned Owl. Active between dusk and dawn, these large owls will target both juvenile and adult ducks, attacking a single duck at a time. Owls often pluck their victims, leaving behind a tell-tale cluster of feathers and a carcass with evidence of feeding on the neck, breast and sometimes head. Attacks can be prevented by keeping your ducks inside their housing when owls are hunting.

Hawks: Both ducklings and adult waterfowl are vulnerable to attack by larger hawk species such as Red-tailed Hawks. Hawks are active during the day, meaning that ducks are susceptible during foraging if they are allowed to free-roam. Similar to owls, hawks tend to pluck their kills and target the chest and neck of the duck. By removing prospective perches, such as isolated trees and utility poles, you can

Skunks are notorious egg thieves and will strike at night.

Above: Of all the owl species in the United States, the primary threat to waterfowl is the Great Horned Owl. Left: Weasels are true carnivores known for slipping through the tiniest of openings in pursuit of adult ducks and their eggs.

Raccoon predation can be identified by distinctive behaviors: the heads of waterfowl chewed completely off, the breast and crop opened, and entrails sometimes consumed.