Just found a yolk on the ground in the coop

[Backyard DIY]

I've just been to give the ducks an afternoon treat and noticed an egg, minus it's shell, on the ground in the coop. This has worried me and confused me somewhat.

I'm not sure where this egg came from as we had collected the daily two this morning and I'd emptied the house and laid fresh bedding it's a couple of days ago. That leaves three possibilities:

1. There was an egg somewhere outside the house that has somehow remained hidden or out of view until now. Pool maybe?

2. Our "male" is actually a female, despite showing all the signs of being a male.

3. One of our females laid 2 eggs today, which I didn't think was possible.

The other question is what happened to this egg and its shell? Is it likely that the ducks have tried to eat their own egg? Is there a small animal or bird that could get through chicken wire which may have tried to eat it. Why was only the shell missing but the rest just left there?

 

[Amiga]

Sometimes there are incomplete eggs that get laid, same day as a complete one.

There are a few reasons I can think of - the duck is having an off day, calcium levels aren't optimum (this can happen in spite of you providing sufficient calcium sources, don't feel responsible for that), or they were playing hop on top and the egg got popped out before the shell formed.

 

[Backyard DIY]

Sometimes there are incomplete eggs that get laid, same day as a complete one.

There are a few reasons I can think of - the duck is having an off day, calcium levels aren't optimum (this can happen in spite of you providing sufficient calcium sources, don't feel responsible for that), or they were playing hop on top and the egg got popped out before the shell formed.

Ah thanks for putting my mind at ease. I went back out and I did find the shell, although it was more like a half shell and very soft so I think you are right on the money with incomplete egg.

 

[Amiga]

See if you can get some extra calcium into her. The occasional odd egg is no worry, but sometimes long term low blood calcium is hard on their heart as well as bones and nervous system.