Disappearing Muscovy eggs

[Peter in Hungary]

I have a 4 muscovy ducks who have nested and hatched clutches. A number of false starts resulting in 3 abandoned nests, the eggs of which stayed undisturbed (I left them alone)

A 5th duck was sitting on about 12 eggs for about 3 and a half weeks when the number of eggs started to go down (disappear without trace) and now the duck is sitting on nothing. !

I doubt predators because the abandoned eggs are still there and I have day olds and others running around the coop. (which is fully wired inc. the top).

Has anyone any idea as to what could be happening to the disappearing eggs ??

 

[SmiYa0126]

I have a 4 muscovy ducks who have nested and hatched clutches. A number of false starts resulting in 3 abandoned nests, the eggs of which stayed undisturbed (I left them alone)

A 5th duck was sitting on about 12 eggs for about 3 and a half weeks when the number of eggs started to go down (disappear without trace) and now the duck is sitting on nothing. !

I doubt predators because the abandoned eggs are still there and I have day olds and others running around the coop. (which is fully wired inc. the top).

Has anyone any idea as to what could be happening to the disappearing egg

Could she be eating them? Are you sure they were fertile?

 

[Miss Lydia]

If you have a game camera you might set it up and find the culprit. It sure is a mystery if the abandon eggs haven’t been eaten? Or could they be rotten?

 

[davez]

FWIW... I had a squirrel steal eggs from my ducks pen. He buried one egg in the mulch in front of my house.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Has anyone any idea as to what could be happening to the disappearing eggs ??

Hi there, welcome to BYC!

Rats steal eggs (and travel in tunnels under ground). Opossum also steal eggs, often without preying on the birds until necessary. Raccoons as well reach through many wiring types unless it's 1/2 inch or smaller.

Despite having all the predators around here.. none have stolen my rotten hatching eggs.. sent outside for composting.

Post pics of your set up for scrutiny if desired. Hope you find the egg thief!

Congrats on your little ones!

ETA: is it possible any are hatching and running around with the others?

 

[ruthhope]

A snake?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I would think snake so far I’ve caught 2 eating duck eggs.

 

[Peter in Hungary]

Thanks for the replies
The predators we have here are foxes, golden jackals, badgers, wild boar and various raptors. The snakes are grass snakes and too small to take a duck egg. We have never had rats, mice yes rats no. The coop is fully wired so the predators are outside and can't get in.

I think the eggs were fertile as the other eggs hatched and we only have one drake. When We have had egg eating chickens in the past they were indiscriminate about from where they took the eggs, with this loss the eggs have gone from one place only.

I don't think they have hatched because the other clutches were about a week ahead or more and the size difference would be apparent. Also post hatching there is always shell residue left and with the disappearing eggs they are gone without any trace

The mystery remains.

 

[Miss Lydia]

If you ever figure it out please let us know.