13 Muscovy duck eggs, days from hatching suddenly disappear & Momma Duck is devastated.

[North Woods Quack]

My guess would be rats or snakes. Last year my Harlequins were setting 12 eggs in the chicken coop and eggs kept disappearing, no shell fragments, feathers or other signs of a struggle. The floor was dirt and deep litter bedding, and I later realized a huge momma rat had burrowed into the coop and stolen eggs - and stored them in the deep litter!!!! (That coop now has a solid wood floor).
A snake, or several snakes, could definitely swallow a few eggs whole. But 13 eggs, hmmm. That would have to be one big snake, like a 6-foot rat snake or indigo. Lucky mom got away. I am so sorry for you- and your poor broody mom.

 

[North Woods Quack]

I would have thought it was a coon but since it happened during the daytime that is unusual. Being this time of the year another animal more than likely might have wanted to feed its young and took the eggs. With no egg shells around it is hard to say what got them. I did not think crows could fly carrying eggs as Muscovy eggs are usually pretty large. I hope that you figured it out. If she every decides to lay eggs in that spot again I would fine a way to put protection around her. Whatever it was would more than likely return the next time too. I hope she is feeling better. I just got this post as for some reason I get mine late at times. Do you have minks or weasels where you live? Maybe something like that could have done it also.

I'm thinking minks or weasels would go for mom first, and then eat the eggs. and there would definitely be ploufs of feathers around the attack site. Up here in Vermont we have two kinds of weasels, and also mink and the dreaded fisher cat which is a really big weasel, 30 to 40 inches long and weighing between 13 and 20 pounds. I had a fisher tear through my heritage turkeys a few years back. They were roosting way up in some black spruce, the fisher ran up there and scared them down into deep snow, then he made off with 3. The rest scattered all over town and refused to come back. I don't blame then. (I sold the survivors except for one. pair of bronze that I kept in more restricted, less free rangey conditions - no tree roosts. A proper turkey house.)

 

[Luv Ducks]

I'm thinking minks or weasels would go for mom first, and then eat the eggs. and there would definitely be ploufs of feathers around the attack site. Up here in Vermont we have two kinds of weasels, and also mink and the dreaded fisher cat which is a really big weasel, 30 to 40 inches long and weighing between 13 and 20 pounds. I had a fisher tear through my heritage turkeys a few years back. They were roosting way up in some black spruce, the fisher ran up there and scared them down into deep snow, then he made off with 3. The rest scattered all over town and refused to come back. I don't blame then. (I sold the survivors except for one. pair of bronze that I kept in more restricted, less free rangey conditions - no tree roosts. A proper turkey house.)

I did not know if the Momma duck could have flown to safety. Mine could always fly unless I had clipped one wing. Hopefully whatever it was it will not come back as usually if there is a free meal a predator will return.

 

[North Woods Quack]

Hopefully you just have an egg eater. I once, long ago, went to close in my chickens for the night and saw a small skunk in the coop happily eating layer pellets and a few late laid eggs. All the girls were on the roost, unharmed. I waited for Mr. Stinky to leave and then closed them in for the night.

 

[thoeffel1994]

My guess would be a snake if you don't see any broken shells or anything. I've been loosing eggs to black rat snakes. I left five eggs in the nesting box, came home and there was only one left.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I had a big blk snake in the coop the other day with a Runner egg in his/her mouth. I have been leaving a few on the floor as a distraction since I have 2 Muscovy sitting on eggs.
I don't mind them around but I sure don't want them eating eggs with ducklings in them.
But they don't leave a trace.

 

[Luv Ducks]

I had a big blk snake in the coop the other day with a Runner egg in his/her mouth. I have been leaving a few on the floor as a distraction since I have 2 Muscovy sitting on eggs.
I don't mind them around but I sure don't want them eating eggs with ducklings in them.
But they don't leave a trace.

How many eggs do you have them sitting on now between the two Hens?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Joy only has 2 and Dolly only has 1. I really don't need more ducks but ya'll sure got me wanting some ducklings and when my scovy girls went broody well What can I say? 3 little ones will work out fine. That will give me 17 waterfowl counting my goose.

 

[Luv Ducks]

Joy only has 2 and Dolly only has 1. I really don't need more ducks but ya'll sure got me wanting some ducklings and when my scovy girls went broody well What can I say? 3 little ones will work out fine. That

Keep up the Good Work my Dear and you will catch up to my 20. lol I will be rehoming though before winter, That will be too many to carry water to if we have a bad winter. Last winter was a breeze but we were just lucky.

 

[Pollo Blanco]

Sorry for your loss.
While we're playing name the predator, I'll go with Ravens.
They will fly off with whole eggs and return for more. They're very stealthy and clever. I have caught them on camera going through the bird door into the coop to steal eggs.