Male Muscovy moving eggs while random female steals eggs??

[eldfort]

I have about a dozen wild muscovies that come and go, sleep, and now lay eggs in my backyard on a canal. There is a lone female that none of the males like, or females. We found 6 eggs Sunday. This poor lone female sits there like she's laying, but never does. A specific male comes along, moves 4 eggs into one area and moves 2 to the edge. Then this morning, I see lone female stealing an egg, after she broke it, running across the yard to the canal with the male chasing her. I went to look and she's stolen the 2 eggs on the edge. What in the world? I had chickens forever and never saw anything like this. Any thoughts? Just trying to understand the local neighborhood vibe haha.

 

[DuckyDonna]

@Thejperez might know @Miss Lydia

 

[TheBeardie]

This isn't any behavior that I've seen before. Are any of the ducks actually eating the eggs? If so that might be the reason for some of the chasing. Muscovies chase each other for food just like chickens. I've seen ducks run after one another over frogs and bugs plenty of times. Is the duck just laying or does she seem to be brooding?

 

[DuckyDonna]

This isn't any behavior that I've seen before. Are any of the ducks actually eating the eggs? If so that might be the reason for some of the chasing. Muscovies chase each other for food just like chickens. I've seen ducks run after one another over frogs and bugs plenty of times. Is the duck just laying or does she seem to be brooding?

@Kessel23j @casportpony

 

[eldfort]

As I've paid more attention, she is taking the eggs that are on the edge that the male is moving out of the nest. And, she is always broody it seems. She's always wanting to hang out with the mom of babies and she gets chased off. She's now begun sitting on them and just now I went out and they are mostly broken, so either she got scared in the night or a raccoon ate them. Weird kid for sure.

 

[bhaugh]

Can you give her a couple eggs to set on?