Mysteriously Disappearing Eggs + No Hatches

Hey all! So in early June our Pekin duck Cheese was broody.We had wanted ducklings then so we decided, why not have Cheese hatch some? So she started out with 12 eggs, and we took two to try to hatch ourselves but they died before they got veins. So with ten eggs, Cheese started her clutch.

The problem is, every few days an egg will disappear, nowhere to be found. To this day, she only has 6 eggs. I am truly worried because we candled ALL the eggs and they're all alive, but she must be throwing out good ducklings or something is stealing them. There is absolutely no trace that the eggs when anywhere. It's like they never existed! I know there were fully developed fetuses in all four eggs that disappeared, as they're going to hatch literally any minute now. They're full with a huge airsac. They were estimated to hatch on the 8th, but nope. Why are her eggs seemingly disappearing?

So besides Cheese murdering her babies, I have another question. Since our eggs should hatch literally any second, there is no pipping. No internal pipping, either. We also constantly check for peeping eggs but they just won't peep. Is there a possibility our date was wrong, and they should hatch later? Maybe the fetuses died in an extremely developed stage? I'm really confused as this is my first time hatching any eggs ever. So does anyone have ideas? Thanks in advance!

(Also if this is in the wrong section or breaking the rules, sorry! This is my first post.)

I wish I could be of some help, but I'm not familiar with duck eggs. It is possible that the hatch date was miscalculated, or that it was delayed for some reason. The incubation "timeline" is really more of a guideline than a hard and fast rule. Sometimes hatches are early, sometimes they're late, and sometimes they're right on time. Or, you're right - they could have quit developing for some reason and died in the eggs. I'd give it a few more days, but I'd also leave the duck alone during that time.

As for your disappearing eggs, I think if the duck were eating them, you'd have noticed yolk, bits of shell and other stuff on your surviving eggs. My guess would be rat or snake. From what I've read in Predators and Pests, I'd lean more toward snake. I've never had that problem, so I can't say for sure.

bobbi-j said:

I wish I could be of some help, but I'm not familiar with duck eggs. It is possible that the hatch date was miscalculated, or that it was delayed for some reason. The incubation "timeline" is really more of a guideline than a hard and fast rule. Sometimes hatches are early, sometimes they're late, and sometimes they're right on time. Or, you're right - they could have quit developing for some reason and died in the eggs. I'd give it a few more days, but I'd also leave the duck alone during that time.

As for your disappearing eggs, I think if the duck were eating them, you'd have noticed yolk, bits of shell and other stuff on your surviving eggs. My guess would be rat or snake. From what I've read in Predators and Pests, I'd lean more toward snake. I've never had that problem, so I can't say for sure.

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Thanks a lot. We did have a rat infestation once due to out neighbors cutting down a TON of trees so there still might be some rats stealing our good babies. But I did notice a hole right next to the coop, so I'll definitely be covering that up. Now I'll leave my girl alone and hope for the best! If and when they hatch I'll try to post pictures. And again, thanks!

For ducks you do know it is 28 days, not 21 like chickens, right?

I don't think Cheese is eating them. Where is Cheese, do you have her in her own coop or is she out in a field or another unprotected area?
My best guess would be rats. They come in at night and Cheese would have no idea.

If I was you I would take Cheese up to the house or put here some where more safe.

cluckcluckluke said:

For ducks you do know it is 28 days, not 21 like chickens, right?

I don't think Cheese is eating them. Where is Cheese, do you have her in her own coop or is she out in a field or another unprotected area?
My best guess would be rats. They come in at night and Cheese would have no idea.

If I was you I would take Cheese up to the house or put here some where more safe.

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Yep, I know it's 28 days. She's in her own coop with her man protecting the entrance. I'll have to think about putting her in the garage or basement. Thanks!

HELP! Cheese abandoned her eggs this morning and we noticed now at 5:48 PM! I have no idea why she did this and we are using all of our resources to warm them up! PLEASE HELP!

biddyboo8 said:

HELP! Cheese abandoned her eggs this morning and we noticed now at 5:48 PM! I have no idea why she did this and we are using all of our resources to warm them up! PLEASE HELP!

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Are they alive? Have you candled them? Sometimes momma's will leave a nest if the chicks are not viable..

The eggs are pretty much too old to see movement, since they are due to hatch around the 15th now, but I did see some kind of twitching movement in one of the eggs. Is this a good sign?

biddyboo8 said:

The eggs are pretty much too old to see movement, since they are due to hatch around the 15th now, but I did see some kind of twitching movement in one of the eggs. Is this a good sign?

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Movement is always a good sign...

Since it was so faint, it might have been my hand since I do not have steady hands at ALL. But it sort of looked like a heartbeat kind of twitch, even though those guys are around 23 days. I can take a picture of the eggs and show the development since I see body part looking bumps around the end. Be right back with pictures!

[Edit: Woah, I said "kind of" WAY too many times in one sentence.]