are ducks worth keeping?

[lomine]

I think it all depends on what "worth it" means to you. If you think you'd like them just as pets and the eggs are just a bonus then I don't see why you shouldn't get some. Provided you have the time, space, and finances to give them the proper care (i.e. nutritional feed, clean living space, predator protection, first aid, etc). Keep in mind that a duck can live 10+ years so have a plan in place in case you find they aren't for you.

Pekin are decent layers so they should give you plenty of eggs, especially since you probably won't be hurting for eggs with all those leghorns. (Just FYI, if you don't want to keep all those birds you could sell some as started pullets. You could probably cover the costs of buying all the birds and the feed used so far.) Pekin are also a popular meat duck breed. If you do want to breed for meat you'll probably have to get an incubator, as Pekin hens are not know to go broody or be good mothers. If you get straight run from the hatchery chance are you will end up with way more drakes than you need. That would be a chance for you to try butchering and tasting. If you find you don't like it, butcher all the drakes and keep only hens. If you do like it, keep one drake and hatch some eggs.

I adore my ducks and don't regret getting them one bit. I also have chickens and quail. The ducks are my favorite. As far as the eggs, I have given away eggs to a few different folks. Not one has said they didn't like them. My immediate family loves them. I like them better than both chicken and quail eggs. They are just so creamy. And they are the best thing to use in baking.

 

[bantamrooster]

Duck eggs do not taste the same as chicken eggs.
I like my ducks but cant stand their eggs and im a huge egg eater. No one in my family eats them except when used in baking.
There is a market for them i guess. Around here people sell them for almost twice what they ask for their chicken eggs.
Our ducks seem to out lay our chickens a lot of times too.
Only thing i could say against the ducks are they make a mess out of and around every water source. And are especially messy in the brooder when raising them up.
If you think you wouldnt mind eating the eggs and enjoy eating duck for sure get some.

 

[Bills vs Beaks]

Just dont tell people its a duck egg and they will love em. Lol

 

[itsasmallfarm]

I think it all depends on what "worth it" means to you. If you think you'd like them just as pets and the eggs are just a bonus then I don't see why you shouldn't get some. Provided you have the time, space, and finances to give them the proper care (i.e. nutritional feed, clean living space, predator protection, first aid, etc). Keep in mind that a duck can live 10+ years so have a plan in place in case you find they aren't for you.

Pekin are decent layers so they should give you plenty of eggs, especially since you probably won't be hurting for eggs with all those leghorns. (Just FYI, if you don't want to keep all those birds you could sell some as started pullets. You could probably cover the costs of buying all the birds and the feed used so far.) Pekin are also a popular meat duck breed. If you do want to breed for meat you'll probably have to get an incubator, as Pekin hens are not know to go broody or be good mothers. If you get straight run from the hatchery chance are you will end up with way more drakes than you need. That would be a chance for you to try butchering and tasting. If you find you don't like it, butcher all the drakes and keep only hens. If you do like it, keep one drake and hatch some eggs.

I adore my ducks and don't regret getting them one bit. I also have chickens and quail. The ducks are my favorite. As far as the eggs, I have given away eggs to a few different folks. Not one has said they didn't like them. My immediate family loves them. I like them better than both chicken and quail eggs. They are just so creamy. And they are the best thing to use in baking.

i love duck meat a lot. so worse case to happen is i would just butcher all my ducks or sell the hens (people always seem to be buying ducks where i live) plus am only looking at keep maybe 4 hens, use the eggs for baking and eating for a treat once in a while. but on question how do you eat your duck eggs? like any way you can eat a chicken egg cause i think some pickled duck eggs sounds good.

 

[lomine]

Yes, you can cook with duck eggs the same way you would chicken eggs. Sometime you have to make adjustments, for instance you have to boil a duck egg longer if you want hard boiled. In baking you might have to make a few adjustments since duck eggs are generally bigger than chicken. It's not a problem if your recipe is by weight. My all time favorite use of duck eggs ii in creme brulee.

 

[Bills vs Beaks]

i love duck meat a lot. so worse case to happen is i would just butcher all my ducks or sell the hens (people always seem to be buying ducks where i live) plus am only looking at keep maybe 4 hens, use the eggs for baking and eating for a treat once in a while. but on question how do you eat your duck eggs? like any way you can eat a chicken egg cause i think some pickled duck eggs sounds good.

I love pickled eggs!

 

[itsasmallfarm]

I was really surprised to discover that so many people had never tried duck eggs; in fact, some didn't know you could eat duck eggs! (scratching my head) People who actually try them, like them. Don't tell the chickens, but I'm with @Bills vs Beaks ...I prefer my duck eggs.

If you're trying to find a market for duck eggs, I've found that offering a free sample (2) can turn chicken egg customers into chicken and duck egg customers. I casually mention to chicken egg customers that I have duck eggs, too, and how delicious they are and it piques their interest.

that is a really good idea

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Thanks! The problem now is that they want the duck eggs...and they're not laying!

 

[itsasmallfarm]

do ducks only lay from spring to fall? or do they lay year round?

thank you

 

[dotknott]

do ducks only lay from spring to fall? or do they lay year round? 

thank you 

Ducks will pay year round if there is enough light. The closer you are to the equator the more likely you are to get eggs year round. With no supplemental lighting I don't get eggs from mid-October through mid-March.

This is also dependent on the breed. Some breeds aren't big egg producers so you might not get them to lay daily even with supplemental lighting.