One egg went missing after other hatched

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Elisabeth8

Elisabeth8

In the Brooder
Mar 5, 2022
3
1
12
Pittsburgh, PA
My duck Coffee went broody with 4 eggs but a week or two later it was down to 2 because of the raccoons I’m guessing. I found one of the eggs cold and far from the coop so my thought is it has to be a raccoon. Then just last night one of the two eggs hatched. I saw both eggs in the morning so I didn’t check for the second. Today I checked 3 times but could only see the duckling and Coffee. I didn’t even see any egg shells from the duckling that hatched. Would a duck eat the egg shells? Or could something have taken just the egg? This is the first time I’ve had a broody duck go through the full 28 days so I have no idea what to expect.
 
Miss Lydia

Miss Lydia

~Gift of God ~ Eternal Life ~John 3:16-17
Premium Feather Member
12 Years
Oct 3, 2009
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My Muscovy eat the shell once the duckling hatches. Where is your duck at with the ducklings? if A raccoon gets hold of them you will be horrified with what will happen. Please put them in a secure coop or run so no predator can get to them.
 
BelovedBirds

BelovedBirds

Crowing
Nov 8, 2021
1,892
3,206
321
England
Elisabeth8 said:
My duck Coffee went broody with 4 eggs but a week or two later it was down to 2 because of the raccoons I’m guessing. I found one of the eggs cold and far from the coop so my thought is it has to be a raccoon. Then just last night one of the two eggs hatched. I saw both eggs in the morning so I didn’t check for the second. Today I checked 3 times but could only see the duckling and Coffee. I didn’t even see any egg shells from the duckling that hatched. Would a duck eat the egg shells? Or could something have taken just the egg? This is the first time I’ve had a broody duck go through the full 28 days so I have no idea what to expect.
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I agree with miss Lydia, most likely the broody disposed of the shells. It is very alarming that a racoon would even be able to access this nest, though. Please ensure they have predator proof housing, there is no shortage of hungry animals that would love to get those babies, and mama too.
 
Elisabeth8

Elisabeth8

In the Brooder
Mar 5, 2022
3
1
12
Pittsburgh, PA
Miss Lydia said:
My Muscovy eat the shell once the duckling hatches. Where is your duck at with the ducklings? if A raccoon gets hold of them you will be horrified with what will happen. Please put them in a secure coop or run so no predator can get to them.
Click to expand...
The nest is in the coop and the pen is predator proof but I know one day I left the back door to the coop open by accident and only found out later. My duck Coffee probably left the nest in between and that’s when the raccoon came. It was in the evening but I didn’t even think about the fact that a raccoon could get the egg.
As for the one egg that’s missing would a duck eat that egg that didn’t hatch? I can’t see any egg and I looked around the coop. :(
 
Miss Lydia

Miss Lydia

~Gift of God ~ Eternal Life ~John 3:16-17
Premium Feather Member
12 Years
Oct 3, 2009
122,914
149,356
2,032
Mountains of Western N.C.
Mine will eat any egg that is broken open outside of the coop. Plus snakes and other predators will eat an egg if given the opportunity.
Actually, my tiny Old English Game bantam hen laid a soft shell this morning and another bantam was gobbling up the inside when I went in to let everyone out for the day.
 

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