Mustelid poultry attack

[Ashling]

Hi all, I was shocked to find 2 out of 3 of my ducks dead in their house yesterday with the 3rd injured. It was certainly a mustelid as a fox couldn't have got access and the hallmark signs of bites to the back of the neck and head were present on all 3 birds.
Question is: Stoat or Weasel or Mink or Ferret???
We have seen Stoats on our land within the last year, "wild" ferrets within 3years ago, a possible mink sighting 5+ years ago.
The thing which might make it possible to further identify the species of predator is that one of the dead birds had it's entire neck eaten away down to the spine. Quite a meticulous bit of work! No beheading. No other damage other than that.
We lost our goslings last year at the rate of one a day and have had problems with egg theft.
More secure housing is now evidently required...
Has anyone heard of or seen this neck eating behaviour before? Any thoughts welcome.
Cheers.

[Dogghound]

Could be any of these although less likely weasel in respect to the size of the bird. If you measure the gap between the two canine punctures on the back of the neck I can tell you which it is. Are there holes to get into the pen? Strange how the other bird survived they usually do the whole lot.

[Pigeon feather]

I'm very sorry to hear about your ducks, I lost my entire flock of 5 chickens and 7 quail to my own two ferrets that escaped one night and got into their pen, they each had a bite to the neck and a bit of blood on their head but other than that they were whole and clean, it was my fault for not securing the ferrets in adequately, luckily we don't get wild mustelids in my neck of the wood otherwise I don't know what i'd do, they are so cunning, the duck that survived is very lucky indeed.

[mbaldw]

Has anyone heard of or seen this neck eating behaviour before?

Apparently, eating the head and neck tissues isn't uncommon for mustelids. On their website, the Northland Regional Council of New Zealand note that:

"Mustelids characteristically eat the flesh from the neck and head area of their prey."

The brain tissues represent a good source of energy, and I think I'm right in saying that there's a layer of subcutaneous fat attached to the skin of a duck's neck - maybe the mustelid was after this? Although less likely, I know that duck necks are also sometimes sold as dog food with the aim of providing the pet with protein and a good way to clean its teeth, so perhaps this is also attractive to the predator?

As Dogghound has already said, if you measure the inter-canine distance, that should allow you to ID the predator species.

Cheers,
Marc.

[Ashling]

Thanks for the responses. I too was surprised one was left alive although she seems pretty traumatised - I don't know if she'll survive for long.
As regards measuring the canine spacing, unfortunately I've already buried the bodies... Had a look at the survivor but since there's no fatal bite, there doesn't seem to be a good pair of marks. Didn't want to hold her for long and stress her out further.
Good to have all your confirmation that this is a mustelid species though.
Thanks.

[salukiwhippet]

On the basis that there was a survivor, my money's on a jill ferret or a stoat. I reckon a hob ferret or mink would have killed them all pretty sharpish, unless the culprit was caught in the act and scared off.

James

[animartco]

Hi Ashling
What a horrible thing to happen. I am always slightly relieved when I go out in the morning and find all my birds are OK. Helpful suggestions from the others on distance of the bite marks. I shall remember that if it happens to me (touch wood it doesn't)Actually do not rule out a baby fox. They can get through the smallest holes.
What sort of ducks were they? And is the survivor a duck or a drake?
The size of the birds of course makes a difference. Weasels can attack tiny species ducks, but would be unlikely to tackle Alesburys.

[animartco]

Incidentally I have stoats in the garden, but they do not attack my birds. I have little East Indian ducks, same size as call ducks, but when they see Stoaty they bunch up and nod at him and he leaves them alone. I suppose he could be more aggressive at night, although he does hunt baby rabbits in the garden by day.

[epops]

sounds like a ferret we had a similar thing happen a few years ago we actually caught the culprit while in the act oddly though it made no attempt to bite and turned out to be one of the best workers we ever owned althogh it did have a tendecy to keep trying to escape

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by animartco

Actually do not rule out a baby fox. They can get through the smallest holes.

Its very unlikely a young fox would actively hunt. Especially at this time of year when most foxes will have just bred or be breeding. All last years young will be fully grown now.