I let my Goslings and Ducklings free range for the first time today thinking that they're not big enough to fend off attacks from crows (which I think took some younger ducklings and goslings). I went out to the shops and came back to find a gosling with a totally missing head. No damage to wings, legs, neck or body, simply a missing head! The same has happened to 3 ducklings and 2 Goslings previously. I solved the problem by covering their run with bird netting assuming that it was done by crows. I can't understand why any wild animal hunting for food would eat only the head. There is absolutely no trace of it, no beak, no bones, it's all gone!
What is killing my stock and how can I stop it?
I now think it could be a cat but it'd have to be a brave one to take on a goose. They're not fully grown yet but they're still big heavy birds...