Baking w duck eggs/feed issues

[newbyduckmom]

Two topics:

I baked my first batch of chocolate chip cookies last night using our duck eggs. They are positively yummy! And it is the same old recipe I have always used. They are a bit more chewy, but much more moist. I used 1 duck egg to replace 1 chicken egg as our eggs are about the same size as extra large chicken egg. Hubby even commented how good they were!

I recently changed from Flock Raiser crumbles to Flock Raiser pellets. I have noticed the ducks appear to be leaving a lot of the food untouched, so I have been watching to try to determine why. Absent any sources of moisture (except for the occasion where a duck sits on the feed bowl), it appears the pellets are absorbing moisture while sitting there. We are in Seattle area so the air is quite damp *understatement*. They become all gluey and breakdown. Anyone had this experience with pelleted food? They initially looked fine in the bowl, but when I touched them they are damp and immediate break out of their original form. This seems to just have started when our weather took a turn towards being significantly colder/damper.

 

[newbyduckmom]

Anyone had this experience with pellets seeming to absorb water from the damp air?

 

[animalsRawesome]

hmmm. I've never experienced that... then again I'm not from Seattle.

 

[Wulfandwyn]

I'm from the north coast of CA and the pellets do seem to get damp from the moisture in the air. The pellets were dry in the summer. Now they get soggy if I leave them out so I just feed my ducks twice a day and don't leave a lot of food out so the it doesn't get yucky. I don't know if the brand makes any difference.

As for cooking with the duck eggs- I made crepes with duck eggs my friend gave me and the crepes were delicious. My ducks are still to young to lay eggs but I will try many more recipes in the spring

 

[Oregon Blues]

I keep my feed in secure cans in a dry place. Feed for the ducks goes out twice a day and doesn't sit.

That's not so it doesn't get damp. It's so the sparrows don't eat it all.

Ducks should not have any issues with eating damp food. However, I would not leave many day's worth of food out in a damp state for fear of spoilage.

 

[newbyduckmom]

I feed twice a day. In the morning when I let them out and clean the coop, and in evening when put them back in. More in morning. But once the feed gets even the slightest bit damp, they will not eat it. It gets dumped.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Because we have humid summers, I use DE mixed in with my feed. It helps keep it fresh and dry. Food grade of course. 3 cups mixed into 50lbs. may help you.

 

[Wulfandwyn]

It's good to know about the de. I have heard it is also good against parasites and mites. Do you know if that is true?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
I thought so too, till we got an infestation of mites a couple years ago. I use Epernix pour-on for my chickens haven't had any problems with mites on the ducks.