Entire clutch of duck eggs...Poof! Gone!

[Barnyard70]

It was such a shock to come out this morning to do my rounds and discover that one entire clutch was gone! Was unguarded, not being sat on yet. I have all my ducks as far as I know (one is likely sitting next door). We have all kinds of predators....have found occasionally the odd egg yolk here and there out in the middle of the yard..maybe Ravens? I hear they are very brave, will even go inside a hut.. Anybody else have this happen?

 

[cosbackyard]

Never had that happen. I don't know what it's like up there in BC but if I didn't have my ducks completely locked down by sunset then the ducks would be gone, nevermind the eggs.

 

[jjs hens]

oh dear, ravens are very clever.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

I had a nest get moved. Maybe your gals have decided to move the eggs?

 

[jdywntr]

If you've found just yolks, its a predator of some kind. I'm not sure what you have but ravens, crows, skunks, opossums, snakes, dogs, cats, and probably many more will take eggs. Some leave evidence, some don't

I would look into it and figure out what it is. The predator and pest section of BYC can help there. You stand to lose fertile eggs that are even being sat on or even lose the hen if you don't do anything.

Just last week I found a skunk in my chicken coop. It had taken 14 of 15 eggs from under a broody hen that were due to hatch today. The skunk is no more and I'm glad that I happened to go out at the right time. But, if I hadn't been there that skunk would continue coming back and could potentially turn to killing ducklings or chicks.

Look for specific evidence. Maybe get a game cam.

 

[Baylor]

My friend had a snake they caught ate the entire clutch 3 days before hatch! They picked it up and took a photo with it and all the eggs in the belly - gross and sad at the same time!

 

[Barnyard70]

Thank you, I will go to that BYC section and look. I do like the game cam idea and has crossed my mind. We have lots of animals here that would take advantage of an easy meal, initially I thought it was a Raccoon with nifty fingers! Ravens are everywhere here, Crows, Mink(nasty lil things), Black Bear, no Skunks on the island (yet), Cougars, Wolves..Eagles, I am sure I have missed a few others..Grizzly are starting to show up now, swimming over from the mainland ~ about four or more sightings in the past 3 - 5 yrs...likely have possums as well, some are on nearby islands around us.

For now, I have locked my Momma duck in the pen with her clutch, food and water..to keep safe. Hopefully, we can figure out whom has been sneaking around..

A little note about Ravens and Crows. Just in case anyone feels the need to shoot one~~Don't! As it becomes a family affair when one of their kind has been killed, they will have their wrath on your property forever. I know of someone who did this once..His fruit trees get stripped clean ever since by Crows and Ravens, meanwhile his neighbor has roughly the same fruit trees and literally right next door, are left completely alone..and heard just yesterday that Ravens have been seen taking baby duckies/chicks as well They are scavengers but shocking to hear that they would also take live..gees, even Turkey vultures wait until the Ravens are done with something..as annoying as they are or can be, I don't think I would want to send an open invitation to raid my yard..

 

[Barnyard70]

On the upside of all this...looks as though a new clutch has been started under my hen house now. Crafty ducks!

And soon will have a yard full of babies. Momma duck (my pic) was very successful with her first batch~laid 18, hatched 17, only one dud. She had so many, she actually lost track of them on outings..