Do duck eggs taste like chicken eggs?

[Indyrun]

What do duck eggs taste like? I've heard lots of conflicting info. Also apparently if you feed them fish their eggs taste funny. Is this true?

 

[Amiga]

Don´t know about the fish. I eat them and they taste to me like very fresh, rich eggs. Apparently they taste different to different people.

Long ago I had Pekins and their eggs did taste a little strong, and were larger than the runner and buff eggs we have now.

 

[StruckBy]

Duck eggs are 'eggier' than chicken eggs. If you use them to make things like deviled eggs plan on using about 1/2 the mayo you normally do because they are so much creamier to start with. Just like chickens, what they eat affects the flavor of the eggs. A variety of foods from free ranging will always yield better, richer eggs than coop birds. There are some people who can tell when their birds eat certain things like onion peels. Personally I've never noticed a difference in taste from feeding things like that to my birds but mine get enough variety that they never gorge on one particular thing.

If you're not sure if you'll like them, I'd suggest buying some to try. I would post on an area classifieds that you are thinking about getting ducks & would like to buy some eggs to taste. I don't always have enough to sell to new people but I could usually find at least a couple for someone in your shoes. Do you guys have something similar to 4H where you could ask the leaders who might have some?

Edited to add:
My experience is with common egg laying breeds of true ducks (WHs, khakis, cresteds, Swedish, Cayuga, etc). I have no clue what muscovie eggs are like.

 

[Indyrun]

Thanks guys. I've got two runners and I'm yet to know what sex they are as they are only almost 1 month old.
My partner loves eggs and eats 5 in one sitting! He says we shoukd of got chickens but I love my duckies to bits!

 

[bluefrog87]

Duck eggs are great for baking but horrible for frying. The baked items (cakes, muffins, think bread-like items) come out fluffier with no taste difference. However on scrambled eggs, quiche, eggs Benedict, hard boiled, etc comes out like a rubber ball

It's like all purpose flour vs bread flour.

Chicken eggs great in all applications
Duck eggs great for chicken egg allergies and breads

 

[StruckBy]

Duck eggs are great for baking but horrible for frying. The baked items (cakes, muffins, think bread-like items) come out fluffier with no taste difference. However on scrambled eggs, quiche, eggs Benedict, hard boiled, etc comes out like a rubber ball

It's like all purpose flour vs bread flour.

Chicken eggs great in all applications 
Duck eggs great for chicken egg allergies and breads

Hmmmm...my family would disagree with you on that. My husband's favorite foods are fried egg sandwiches & quiche...but only if we have duck eggs. He barely eats either if we have to use chicken eggs. I think some people get a little weirded out by ducks eggs cooked by themselves because the whites stay fairly clear (think white stained glass) compared to chicken eggs. He cooked his first fried duck egg ever to hockey puck texture waiting for it to turn white

 

[bluefrog87]

Hmmmm...my family would disagree with you on that. My husband's favorite foods are fried egg sandwiches & quiche...but only if we have duck eggs. He barely eats either if we have to use chicken eggs. I think some people get a little weirded out by ducks eggs cooked by themselves because the whites stay fairly clear (think white stained glass) compared to chicken eggs. He cooked his first fried duck egg ever to hockey puck texture waiting for it to turn white

Different strokes for different folks. I hate duck eggs by themselves or as the spotlight of the dish (even properly cooked) but bread like items are delicious. It's a Despicable Me moment, "IT'S SO FLUFFY!"

 

[StruckBy]

Different strokes for different folks. I hate duck eggs by themselves or as the spotlight of the dish (even properly cooked) but bread like items are delicious. It's a Despicable Me moment, "IT'S SO FLUFFY!"

fluffy! creamy! mmmmmmmm.....

But you're so right...everyone really just needs to try for themselves (& probably in a few different methods). I spent a few hours today at a truffle festival and have concluded that despite my love of pretty much every other edible wild fungus, truffles just are not my thing. Meanwhile other folks were handing over $100s of dollars for truffles & truffle-infused items. I did pick up some fantastic truffle free treats though!

 

[Amiga]

I have heard one person talk about rubbery duck eggs, but that's not what happens here. Go figure. Holderread suggests that when you fry a duck egg, put just a little water in the pan and a lid on it. I don't always do it that way. For what it's worth, I use cast iron pans, medium heat.

 

[enola]

Cooked in a cast iron pan on low heat with several drops of water is the secret. I prefer them on a sandwich over on a plate.

But I don't like ducks so I don't have duck eggs......