'Dave' laid eggs! Any advice?

[Akpahsj]

Well, I originally thought Dave was a boy, since she had that ring around her neck. I have been suspecting for a couple of months the opposite, and I was right. =]
So awhile ago we let our ducks out into the pond. They are basically free range. They just stay there. Occasionally they will walk back to the house if I haven't given them wheat in awhile. But I knew this was coming, since I saw them breeding.
I just noticed them a couple days ago. Turns out she's been laying them for some time. 8 eggs in the nest, although she could have laid another one. She had them covered up, so I didn't want to disturb them. This is her first time!
I heard that your supposed to take them one by one, and once she stops laying, give them back to her. But I discovered them too late. She's smart though, she made it right in a patch of trees. The only reason a actually found it was because I saw her there. The pond is actually in the horse pen, so its in a good place where the horses can't get at it.
I'm just a little worried, since when my other duck laid eggs [In the pen] The male killed most of them. There were 7, and only 2 hatched. Then he killed one of them. =[ I'm just wondering if I should let her do her thing, or should I put them in an incubator...? I don't have one, but I could make one easily.
Will she lay any more eggs? I'm sure she is a Welsh Harlequin/Buff Orpington cross. I'm very nervous about this.
Thanks.
I have some pictures, but I'm not exactly sure how to post them. Any help?

 

[Amiga]

My first thoughts are about her safety. A sitting duck is, indeed, a sitting duck. Some people set up protective fence around a broody. Something more sturdy than chicken wire.

If she has just started laying, the eggs may not all be viable. But some may be.

As you have seen, some drakes are trouble for hatches. That depends on the drake. If you have one that has already shown he is trouble, he needs to be kept away.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well, I originally thought Dave was a boy, since she had that ring around her neck. I have been suspecting for a couple of months the opposite, and I was right. =]
So awhile ago we let our ducks out into the pond. They are basically free range. They just stay there. Occasionally they will walk back to the house if I haven't given them wheat in awhile. But I knew this was coming, since I saw them breeding.
I just noticed them a couple days ago. Turns out she's been laying them for some time. 8 eggs in the nest, although she could have laid another one. She had them covered up, so I didn't want to disturb them. This is her first time!
I heard that your supposed to take them one by one, and once she stops laying, give them back to her. But I discovered them too late. She's smart though, she made it right in a patch of trees. The only reason a actually found it was because I saw her there. The pond is actually in the horse pen, so its in a good place where the horses can't get at it.
I'm just a little worried, since when my other duck laid eggs [In the pen] The male killed most of them. There were 7, and only 2 hatched. Then he killed one of them. =[ I'm just wondering if I should let her do her thing, or should I put them in an incubator...? I don't have one, but I could make one easily.
Will she lay any more eggs? I'm sure she is a Welsh Harlequin/Buff Orpington cross. I'm very nervous about this.
Thanks.
I have some pictures, but I'm not exactly sure how to post them. Any help?

I have never heard of taking eggs from your duck then giving them back to her. They will usually lay their clutch then begin to sit. I would be concerned that when she starts to sit that a predator will find her and the eggs and she'll be killed. I know if you move her she'll probably not continue to sit so either you build something to protect her till hatch day or you risk losing her to predators. And yes drakes have been known to kill ducklings so it would be wise to move your drake into a secure pen until ducklings are at least 4 weeks old. Especially since he has killed ducklings already. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/inserting-pics-in-on-the-new-byc will give you info on posting pics.