I think Miss Lydia has had less hawk activity since stringing up reflective tape.
I will try this! Thanks!Do fake owls deter hawks? I've heard of people trying reflective tape and also hanging blank CD's on string where they can swing around to catch the light.
I know this is old, hope you see it. My ducks have a covered run and their house is inside. I have had rats before, part of the run is chain link. Yesterday, during the day, my duck put her head through the fence probably to get greens. She was killed, the head was gone, neck was just bones. The rest of her was still stuck inside the coop. She was also gutted. Could this be rats? The only other predator is hawks and cats. Something, after it killed her and ate the neck, also went inside to eat. It had to have been able to fit through chain link. My other ducks are terrified and staying far away and out of the coop.Can you describe the bite marks? I know this sounds gross, but did you get a picture of the damage? You can normally tell if a rat was the culprit by teeth marks. Rats CAN take down an adult duck (especially if it's more than one of them) but I highly doubt it unless there was something seriously wrong with it. I think a game camera is in order.
Thank you. We had put more hardware cloth all around anout 2 ft high and 2 ft out. We thought that would work but either something was already inside or it climbed and got another duck, I feel awful, we worked 4 hrs to help them. I took the last two out, they are in the sunroom right now. The first day they were out 2 eggs appeared out in the open with the ends eaten off. They had brought them out of a tunnel! I still don't know if rat or weasel. My chickens are right next door, I am locking them up overnight now.Mink and weasel can get through chain link
Very sorry for your loss. I’d wrap entire chain link in hardware cloth. Predators come back once they have had an easy kill.