Eggs gone and mama still in nest

[Lisaghoov]

We have a mallard next by our pool hidden in the bushes for the past three weeks with mama sitting on them in the nest. She occasionally flies out to go in the pool and flies out of the yard for an hour or two. She had 9 eggs in the nest. Yesterday when I got home I went to check on her, as I usually do everyday, and she wasn’t there and neither were the eggs!!! No shells around, nothing around, just the feathers from the nest. Nothing else looked disturbed. I was really freaking out wondering what happened. About an hour later the mama flew back with the Dad into the pool and swam for a while and then the mother walked back to the bushes and laid in the nest! Where did the eggs go and if a predator got to them then why is the mother back in the nest. She is still there 24 hours later. Could she have buried the eggs?? I don’t know where as I think I would have seen them as the area is small. I need to know what’s going on. Would she be in the nest if there are no eggs and should I assume she buried them rather then the awful alternative?

 

[sylviethecochin]

Did you reach into the nest and feel around? They (ducks and chickens) do cover the eggs, often with grass, leaves, or dirt, and it can look as though the nest is empty.

Welcome to BYC!

EDT: the 'scovies also cover them with their feathers, but I've never seen that on a [mallard-type] duck nest.

 

[Flamens Farm]

Before my mallard gets off her nest of eggs, she takes whatever there is and covers all her eggs. I thought the nest was emptied until I put my hand in her nesting box and I felt them under the hay nice and warm.

 

[Lisaghoov]

The day before the eggs were very visible and they’re not little, I did not reach my hand in and feel around because it just looked completely empty. If she covered or buried them she did a darn good job. She hasn’t left the nest since so I can’t investigate further. She usually leaves this time of night for a short time but not tonight. If someone can tell me if they know if a mallard would still be in the nest if her eggs were gone? That would tell me a lot. I can’t imagine she would. The Dad Dick stopped by early today and swam around the pool for about an hour...mama didn’t come out. I never thought I’d be so worried, but literally it’s upsetting me. I guess I could make noise and force mama out to check but I don’t want to do that. Thanks everyone for helping me.

 

[RWise]

Sounds like she is in the final stage, at this point I would let her be. Likely she had hid the eggs, went for her last walk and is now looking to hatch the little ones.

 

[aart]

Are these wild or domestic ducks?

 

[Lisaghoov]

The ducks are wild. So she wouldn’t sit there in the nest if she didn’t have eggs, correct?

 

[happyfrenchman]

My broody hens sit in empty nests.... instinct. I take the eggs but they remain sitting. If a predator got those eggs, it might sit for awhile still. I don't know much about wild ducks. .