[Prod]

I have 5 Call Ducks, a pair of Silver, a pair of Chocolate Bibbed, and a lone white male.  The female chocolate is with 8 ducklings in a covered run but within the duck enclosure which is fenced in at 4ft. The ducks have partially moulted recently but the silver call still had his wing clipped and I clipped the white male last night. The silvers have always been a pair and very protective of each other but on Sunday the male had disappeared.  This morning I went to feed my collection and the white male has also disappeared. I can see no trace of an attack or suchlike. I know it's 'glass ball 'stuff but any suggestions

[joyfull]

often with a mink you dont see any signs of an attack until you find their larder area. When I lost a lot to such an attack I found them in the middle of a wheat field 

[Prod]

I know foxes take more than one chicken at a time but if it was a mink  would it take one at a time?  and would there not be some sign of a struggle?  I have seen a stoat on the field  but what would be the signs of a mink??  I bought some traps for the stoat but someone said it was unlikely to take a fully grown hen but would keep mice & rats down  so I never caught it.....problems problems....

[ANHBUC]

So sorry Prod, I hope you find out what is taking them and can deal with it before you lose any more.

[joyfull]

The mink that got mine took eight on one night and more another night - there was no feathers lying around to show any signs of a struggle. I saw the mink a few days later heading back to my garden but luckily my dogs were out and scared it away. The local farmers came out to cull the rabbit population and also to hunt out the mink as others had also suffered attacks.
Stoats whilst they may not take a full hen can go for chicks and bantams.

[splash101]

Is it possible that someone is able to get into to them and take them?

[ANHBUC]

Is it possible that someone is able to get into to them and take them?

Ah, the two legged predator that is always a possibility but you would think they would just take a pair in one go.

[Prod]

Is it possible that someone is able to get into to them and take them?

Well the field is about 30 yrds down the lane from my house Some chickens have a coop with an automatic door  and the others don't. The ducks were dreadful for going in at night so they now share 3 houses but I put them all within a four foot metal mesh fence.  It is a very isolated rural area  but I cant see someone just taking one duck, or one at a time especially as there were 3 males and a female call duck, plus a pair of young runner ducks in one side of the pen and Connie and her 8 ducklings in the other.  Plus I left the shed unlocked last night and all my electric tools etc are  in there.  The only thing I can think of is that the runner ducks were in a separate area  but kept going over to the Call duck pen  so I let them in. Although they are bigger two of the call males were quite aggressive with them  but I thought they would eventually settle down. It is a coincidence that as the runners went in 2 calls have disappeared.  My neighbour's garden sides on to my field and has a large pond and  when I got the first pair of ducks, the silvers, they were forever escaping into their garden  but that was as a pair. Ive had a quick look but it is very overgrown ad call ducks can be very clever at hiding and keeping quiet.  I also traipsed over the farmer's fields to his pond(where I found Ollie when he escaped before)  but there was just a family of geese. 

I can see no prints in the mud of any animal and the fence is a mixture of one inch chicken wire (coated) and one inch welded mesh. Could a mink climb over and take a duck back over with it without leaving some sort of evidence of a struggle.?

[ANHBUC]

Could they have gone looking for a mate?   

[Prod]

Well I thought that might be a possibility  but the first one to go, Idris, was paired with Esther who is still here and sat on 3eggs.  Ollie is the single white male.  I have feeling that, as they shouldn't be able to fly far, they have hopped the fence and found their way into next door's garden. The problem is that it being summer ( ) the pond is surrounded by plants/shrubs and nettles!!!!   so they could be hiding anywhere.  I keep imagining I can here duck calls from the pond lol  My neighbour is great and said I can go in anytime t look & they will keep an eye out too.  They keep chickens and pet rabbits and nothing has gone from them.  I hate mysteries!!!  I would rather they have flown off rather than been killed & eaten  (urgh) I am going to make sure ALL the clan ar locked up tonight whether they want to or not!!!!!

[ANHBUC]

If they are anything like young turkey poults you would have to clip their wing each week to stop them flying.     

[Prod]

I only clipped the flight feathers on one wing.   I am going to make sure they are all locked up tonight and bait a couple of traps!!!

[Prod]

I put out 2 traps last night but no takers.... I made sure everyone was locked up safe last night, the ducks don't like it!!!   When I let Esther out this morning she was 'calling' like mad and kept turning round as if she was calling in different directions to call Idris back...... or am I just going madder than normal!!!

[ANHBUC]

If she keeps calling she may attract him back or any other wandering call duck.   

[Sassy]

Are you any nearer to solving the mystery?