damn raccoons,I'm so sad

15 years ago

a raccoon got into my holding pen which I had my 2 pekin ducklings in,, killed the female and took it about 10 feet away. what a horrible thing to find...I'm so upset because today I was letting them go into their main run with everyone else.It was a safe 5 foot fenced run and they go inside a dog crate at night,but last night I did my chores ,but didn't lock the crate door..(careless) The raccoon took the leg right off the poor little duck,I'm just so sick about it. Man they're nasty creatures.

anyways now I have only the one duck who is about 6 weeks old and he's in with the hens inside their coop now. Is it possible to keep only one duck with chickens? Does he need another duck or will he be ok with only them? They eat the same stuff and will share the coop now that there is only one to make a mess! But I need to know if it's cruel to keep him as an only duck or not. Thanks

Comments (7)

flowersnhens
15 years ago
Oh, that is sad !!. I know how you feel. I have lost many chickens to racoons until I finally secured things up pretty tightly. Those and Minks and Fox. It is very irritating, I know. Sorry to hear that.
goodluck
Flowernhens
msjay2u
15 years ago
awww I am so sorry! we know animals have their own agendas but it still pisses us off.
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nhsuzanne
15 years ago
I am sorry too. How sad.
beeliz
Original Author
15 years ago
thank you..I know..it's sad when you spend so much time and effort with your little friends then something comes along and takes it's life so brutally. does piss me off
msjay2u
15 years ago
did you ever consider putting some traps out. Personally I would not because I would be scared to mess with the trap after I caught something. I hate to say what I would do if I caught something. trust me its "inhumane" especially if I thought it killed my pets. I thought I would throw the trap idea out to you.

I checked out the link below and found that trapping is not the best thing to get rid of raccoons and in certain states can be illegal. hmmmph

Here is a link that might be useful: good article on racoons
belzog_99
15 years ago
I am also sorry to hear of your loss. I lost a 3 month old duck to my barnyard guard dog night before last. She just wants to play with them but she plays rough. Anyway to your question, I have raised ducks and chickens together before and the only real problems I have seen is WATER! The duck will always make a total mess of the water. It is indescribable. I have tried all kinds of things but the ducks always make a total mess. Good luck and well wishes
beeliz
Original Author
15 years ago
Yes,they really do make a huge mess! I have found a good solution though...I keep the duck in the chickens coop with them BUT he stays inside a dog crate,and I close it so he doesn't get picked on. only through the night he's in there...then in the daytime i give them a kids pool outside with fresh water every day,or second day depending on the condition of it,and he doesn't bother with the water in the coop intended for the hens. In the winter I will leave a bucket outside every day of water so the duck can use without causing the inside water to become a wet mess! he'll only be in his crate safe at night so he won't make a huge mess...try it!! I also have a barrel pond with a fountain inside their outdoor enclosure,,it's quite nice and the goats drink from it all the time..