Case of the missing eggs.....

[DuckLover3]

I have two broody ducks setting on the same nest, and when they started about 9 days ago, they had around 15 eggs. I just went out to let them out of their hut for the night, and they both came out (like usual), so I went in to check on the nest...I've been checking on it each morning when they come out, but normally I just take an egg quick and go inside to candle it.....Today I actually took the time to look at the nest, and found only 9 eggs! ahhhh!! I looked around the hut to see if they could have just knocked out the 6 missing eggs, but they aren't there.....I started looking around the hut, trying to see if something was getting in (it has a floor by the way) and when I went around the back, I saw about a 2 inch gap between the floor and the wall!

Could a snake be getting in and eating my ducks' eggs???? Or a rodent or something? I'm guna fix the hole, but if they keep disappearing after that, any ideas as to what else could be happening?

Thanks!

 

[Going Quackers]

At first i was going to say they could be tossing duds, i have seen this many times now but after you said you couldn't find the eggs and there is a good sized hole(2in) they certainly could be taken by some sort of predator.

 

[DuckLover3]

Ok, so yesterday my dad and I fixed the house. When I put them in at night, though, there were only 8! And this morning I only counted 7!

What do I do? My dad wants to take the nest out and turn the whole duck house over so we can look at the bottom, but if we disturbed the nest that much, would my ducks still want to set in it? But if I don't, they might not have any eggs to set on! ahhh! I am soo frustrated right now! Do I take the chance they won't set, or take the chance that they'll have no eggs? And is there anything else I can do?

 

[DuckLover3]

Please help! Yesterday whatever was eating the eggs got in during the day, so I really need to fix this as soon as possible!

 

[Wulfandwyn]

I have a similar problem, but a least found out that it was a skunk stealing the eggs. I am still trying to fortify the chicken tractor but my duck hen has her nest on the dirt floor.