4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[lb71]

I had 4 ducks quite happy in an eglu and extended run until this morning. My ducks are free range all day in a large garden and are only put in at night. They are just 4 months old and get on very well. This morning on opening the cage only 3 appeared one was in the nesting area. At first I thought that I may be seeing my first egg and then saw lots of blood, the poor duck had a leg missing! I still cannot find this. The duck was alive but obviously not well and our vet put it too sleep straight away. It's foot and lower leg were missing and it had a flesh injury to it's hip area. The eglu was secure with no signs of disturbance. What has happened? I can't believe this, they went in very happy last night as usual. Would other young ducks do this? We think the duck was a boy and the other 3 are girls. 2 runners and 2 campbells. Has anyone any ideas, the children and I are devastated, especially since this was the friendliest duck.

[miller30]

Hi i am sorry to hear what has happened to your duck are you sure a rat could not have got in with them.

[lb71]

I'm really not sure about rats, I haven't seen any. Could they squeeze through the gaps in the eglu?

[Guest]

Hi So sorry to hear about your poor duck

 

Does sound like the kind of thing a rat would do but as said cant see how it would have got in??

 

If an animal is injured or poorly quite often others will pester it or even peck at the injury..ducks do eat meat so they could have eaten its leg etc. But Rats are capable too??

May be worth having a good explore ie under the house just to see if any evidence of rodents and around the area.

 

At least you put it to sleep..however hard to lose an animal or pet children do have to learn that this is what can happen and things do go wrong that we cant control always

Keeping animals is unpredictable

 

very sorry though indie

[Lesley]

How awful for you

 

We have had a problem with rats going under the Eglus and into the run to eat the food and I think a small rat could gain access to a chicken or duck leg through the hole in the nestbox .

 

I can't think what else may have happened - perhaps the ducks leg went through the hole a bit and a passing rat took his chance

[lb71]

Thanks for all of your replies. I think you may all be right. I had only moved the eglu 2 days prior to this incident to a fresher piece of grass. I have now surrounded the nesting area with bricks. Also thinking of putting it on concrete to hopefully prevent anything digging under the run.