Mom duck missing! Possible Struggle

[HarveyvV]

2 and a half weeks ago a duck layed ~10 eggs and has been sitting on top of them. I have been feeding her and one of her baby ducks from the last batch of eggs(only survivor). I also put an umbrella over the bush where the nest is because of some pretty torrential rains here in south Florida. Fast forward to today and the mom is missing, white feathers are around the area(the baby duck is grey and the mom is white), two eggs are broken, when I looked at the broken eggs I saw veins but no embryo, the other had no veins, only yoke. My working theory is that a raccoon attempted to get the eggs. The mom is no where to be seen around the small lakes near my house. My questions are, What should we do with the ~8 eggs still in the nest? Is it normal for a female duck to be completely alone away from other ducks laying new eggs with one juvenile already? Could the raccoon have taken both the mom duck and the juvenile? Thank you

 

[Fields Mountain Farm]

@Ravynscroft can you help here?
Welcome, and I'm so sorry this has happened. I would suspect a coon, but not sure.
I'm sure Ravyn will have some ideas and can help with what to do about the eggs. Good luck and I sure hope it all works out well in the end.

 

[HarveyvV]

Update: The night of I took the 8 eggs into my garage which has no AC and stays in the 90's. They are in a shoe box by a light. Luckily its very humid here in south Florida. I have candled the eggs, and 5 of them seem to have not developed at all with no veins. 3 of them have developed a lot and seem to be at Day 22-26 according to this chart.

I separated the 3 and I have been turning them over twice a day and spray them once a day from a distance with water. If I am doing something wrong or not optimal, please let me know. Also would like to know if it is normal to see the embryo moving when I have it still over a flashlight, I hope it means they are still alive! Hurricane Irma incoming on my location. Not confident they would survive the winds even if the mom stayed.

 

[BlueBaby]

I don't have ducks, only chickens. I do my eggs in an incubator and candle them. That part I can help you on. If you see the embryo move when you candle, it's alive for sure!

 

[Kroelies]

That is so sad I'm sorry!! Have you seen mum again? Was it feathers around the nest or just down? Best chance for the eggs would be an incubator, or another broody duck or chicken.

It is late but it's normal for ducks to make a second nest. Even if there is a duckling that's made it :c and yes the embryo can move in the egg.

Gosh that's really scary with the hurricanes are you sure you can keep the eggs in the garage maybe put them in the house? If you had a broody chick you'd have a portable incubator but it's probably too last minute to find one. I hope mom and duckling return and what duck breed is she by the way? And please stay safe.