Help, please

[Mknear]

I have ducks that are bound and determined to free range - with 3 acres and a pond, rounding them up at night is impossible. They do well and go to the middle of the pond if any critters show up.

I gather the eggs that are dropped wherever they feel like it, but if they have made a spot that is definitely a nest, I leave the eggs for the broody duck. Last year, I found her sitting on 15 eggs, but they were all eaten / taken overnight. Not sure what took them. With 3 males, likelihood of being fertilized is high. Keeping the eggs protected from critters is pretty much impossible with free ranging, I'm certain. Is there an affordable incubator that you can recommend?

Pic of my 9 duckies. Oh, and if there is someone in North Alabama who is looking to rehome some female ducks, my male to female ratio needs some adjusting.

 

[50-45-1]

My thought is first, do you have a coop avaliable for these ducks?
If so, do you feed them ?
If you fed them inside the coop right before dark, could you lock them in then?
My neighbors have a situation like yours and have lost three separate flocks of there ducks and geese to a mink. The still have the pond but gave up on foul of any kind.
No place in the pond is safe when a mink is present.
Next time you find a duck brooding eggs, move her and the eggs at night to a enclosed coop or pen for safety.
Fox, racoons, weasel, coyote, mink, possum, larger raptors and owl. These should all be present in your area and there is likely more I'm not thinking of.
A bought a styrofoam incubator from TS and hatched successfully from it. It was about $100.00 back then with the auto turner.
Good luck!