HELP! Abandoned wild mallard nest with eggs.... ADVICE NEEDED, Please!

[CrookedAcresChick]

Where I work we have a rather large natural pond. It is on a mid to heavy trafficked, commercial roadway... but is a country setting. We have wild geese annually and their babies as well as a few pair of mallards.
There is a nest between our pond and the road (ONLY about 5 feet from the roadway) that has several (I haven't disturbed to see how many) eggs. On our lunches, several of us have seen the momma mallard laying on the nest... but she isn't there today and no one has seen her on the nest since Friday. Last year an animal ate the eggs and we had no babies.
My question is how long can they go without the mother keeping them warm. I figured, I could keep an eye out for her and if she doesn't show up within another few days perhaps I'd try to incubate them.
Any suggestions before I invest and/or disturb them? My guess is that they are approx 2 weeks along... and there is no site of the mom or dad.
Please respond... I'm going to worry

Michelle

 

[citalk2much]

Has she been sitting the eggs or is she just in there laying them? If she was sitting them and has not been back in 3 days I would say they are no longer good.
As for the nest leave it be if she is just laying she maybe back. And it is a crime to mess with the nest.
I hope she is just laying and comes back.

 

[CrookedAcresChick]

Hi and thanks for the response! I googled a bit more looking for a wild life rehabber near us (I'm a worry wart and didn't want to leave them to die...) and found a TERRIFIC article. Visit: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/about/faqs/birds/nestpot/nest.htm
It's nice to have the 'net... as even people like myself who want to be helpful can cause harm! Your note asking if she was laying vs. sitting on them showed me, as a newbie to foul, that I have MUCH to learn. Luckily, I'm a researcher before a do'er! I will update on the success of the mom... but I believe she is only laying at this point. Without my getting too close to the nest it appeared that there are approx 8-10 eggs... so maybe by June we'll have some Mallard babies. They are friendly creatures and I just love them!

Michelle

 

[citalk2much]

I wish you the best and hope you will soon report babies!

 

[CrookedAcresChick]

Thank you!
And, in case you are following... she's back! Glad that I waited and asked advice before acting! She was gone for a few days!!!!!!
I'll keep you posted!
Michelle

 

[virginbred]

we had our mallard hen just hatch a clutch...this is what you have to look forward to...

 

[citalk2much]

I am glad she is back


And awwwww those are some cute babies