Muscovy aborting ducklings

[FarmrGirl]

So I have two Muscovy girls co-nesting. They have a wonderful system of trading off on the eggs. But now that the eggs are nearing hatching the girls are breaking them open and leaving the little unborn ducklings to die

Why in the world are they doing this?? Over the last week they've killed 3 this way, one was rolled down the nest ramp and into the straw below where it was pecked open. It's almost like they only want to set the eggs, not hatch them...

Tonight I'm setting up a hatcher and getting the remaining eggs out of the nest before they do them all in.

 

[piecemaker]

Dont have any answer for you.But I have a hen the will set eggs for about 2 and half weeks then just up and leave them.

piecemaker

 

[Stormy Autumn]

I've heard of ducks and chickens eating eggs. Maybe all the movement from inside the eggs is starting to freak them out and they don't know how to react. Maybe they think the moving eggs are a threat to the other eggs... This is why you will never see a duck rocket scientist.