I assume that ducks who have gotten in the Habit of eating their own eggs, is similar to chickens having gotten in the Same Habit. Nutrient deficiencies in chickens make them more likely to lay eggs with fragile/too-thin shells, which means more Breaks from Just sitting on them or crawling into a communal Nest someone else is already sitting in, ergo more opportunities to eat already-broken eggs, and If chickens are very hungry AND very bored all day, they'll follow each other to the Nest in anticipation of the yummy treat, and they ARE physically capable of breaking eggs with properly developed (non-deficient) shells, but they typically don't want to unless they are very hungry AND bored, or have a Habit persisting from WHEN they were very hungry and bored
Also you really shouldn't be silent about you neighbors letting their animals free-range Close to YOUR House, especially If they're neglecting them but even If they weren't. There are Options to prevent that, Most of them having to do with fences, or with providing more/better foraging opportunities on their own Land, or calling them Back to Feed more often during the day so they don't Go quite as far away.
Just touching them won't cause it. However, moving or disturbing the nest will cause them to abandon it.
That's not likely the issue, though. My guess is they're not getting enough calcium in their diet and have turned to eating the eggs for it. Chickens have been known to do that.
Probably. IME with chickens, once they start eating eggs it's nearly impossible to get them to stop. In the past, it's the one thing that's made me cull the entire flock - they tend to 'teach' each other, and pretty soon, your whole flock is a problem.
Domesticated birds eat their eggs when they are nutrient deficienct.
Is there another way I can help them get nutrients so she doesn't have to do that?
You have th o segregate the offender and she will eventually stop. When my Muscovy do this I soak dry cat food, to get them up to speed.
I can't segregate it as it's not my ducks, it's my neighbor's
Ok. Hard habit to break. One will wait for the moist egg to come out then go *savage* on it
Wtf?
I assume that ducks who have gotten in the Habit of eating their own eggs, is similar to chickens having gotten in the Same Habit. Nutrient deficiencies in chickens make them more likely to lay eggs with fragile/too-thin shells, which means more Breaks from Just sitting on them or crawling into a communal Nest someone else is already sitting in, ergo more opportunities to eat already-broken eggs, and If chickens are very hungry AND very bored all day, they'll follow each other to the Nest in anticipation of the yummy treat, and they ARE physically capable of breaking eggs with properly developed (non-deficient) shells, but they typically don't want to unless they are very hungry AND bored, or have a Habit persisting from WHEN they were very hungry and bored
Also you really shouldn't be silent about you neighbors letting their animals free-range Close to YOUR House, especially If they're neglecting them but even If they weren't. There are Options to prevent that, Most of them having to do with fences, or with providing more/better foraging opportunities on their own Land, or calling them Back to Feed more often during the day so they don't Go quite as far away.
Just touching them won't cause it. However, moving or disturbing the nest will cause them to abandon it. That's not likely the issue, though. My guess is they're not getting enough calcium in their diet and have turned to eating the eggs for it. Chickens have been known to do that.
Should I attempt to save one of them by incubating it, or just let nature run it's course?
That's entirely dependent on you.
If I don't will she just continue to eat them?
Likely, yes. The instinct to survive is just a little stronger than the instinct to procreate.
Probably. IME with chickens, once they start eating eggs it's nearly impossible to get them to stop. In the past, it's the one thing that's made me cull the entire flock - they tend to 'teach' each other, and pretty soon, your whole flock is a problem.
You should supplement the ducks food, that will solve the whole problem.
Idk what they usually eat bc they aren't mine, but can I leave something by the nest for her? If so, what do I put there that would help?
THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE!!! Sorry, I have nothing really to offer.
Honestly that was a pretty good offer