My Duck has Crushed 2 Viable Eggs!

[5 Peepers]

This morning one of two eggs that my broody female, Niblett, has been sitting on had a dime size hole in it! I could hear the 'peeping' coming from inside and see the duckling moving inside. I wasn't sure if I should move the hatching egg to an indoor brooding box or let Niblett sit back on the eggs. I assumed that she knew what she was doing and let her go ahead and sit on the unhatched egg and this one with the duckling trying to emerge. Of course all I did for the next 2 hours was worry if I had made the right decision!! I decided to go back out to get Niblett off the nest by giving her a snack to check the duckling's progress. When she got up, I noticed the egg with the live duckling in it was crushed!! The little duckling was dead and still curled up in the 'egg' position. (I found another ducking last week in the same condition but couldn't find the shell) I am assuming that Niblett crushed these eggs by sitting (too heavily?) on them.

Also, there were several small ants that would walk on the shell of the emerging duckling. Some even went inside the shell. I stood there for a while picking the ants off of the shell before I let Niblett back in to set again. Is this a sign that there is something wrong with the duckling inside?

I have a small plastic ant trap that I'm going to put under the shavings at the other end of the duck shack to attract the ants away from the nest.
With the last remaining egg that she is still sitting on, I will move it inside and into the wooden box that I used to raise the ducklings to 8 weeks old. I'll put a light on them when it pips and until it fully hatches out.

This is my and Niblett's first 'hatch'. Do you think my plan to move the hatching egg from under Niblett is a good idea? Do ducks have a 'learning' period where they learn how much pressure to put on the eggs when setting? How long should I wait before re-introducing the duckling back to his 'mommy-duck'?

Anyone with any advice is welcomed to comment. I appreciate the experience you can share with me.

 

[Amiga]

I have heard that ducks' first time hatching can go badly once the ducklings actually start to hatch - so I would remove them from her. Placing them back will be a learning experience - be reading to back off, for the little ones' sakes.

@sourland
@WVduckchick

@Miss Lydia

any thoughts?

 

[WVduckchick]

Sorry, I'm not much help, I've only had one broody duck and she did a great job with her first clutch.

@RavynFallen can probably add some thoughts from her experiences.

 

[Ravynscroft]

If there are ants around the nest, remove the egg... she is going to keep shifting around with those irritating her and that will endanger the egg to be stepped on as well... try to give her the duckling as soon as possible after it hatches, but stay watchful...

And don't return the duckling where ants can get to it... newly hatched are easy targets for them too...