Is it safe to eat duck eggs laid in water?

[Grandma Peking]

I agree with NOT eating eggs laid in water…. Not to sound redundant but because they ARE very porous, the fecal matter that is in the water, will seep inside the egg.

Fertile eggs are FINE to eat as long as you collect your eggs DAILY. You MAY notice a VERY tiny, tiny red “speck” in a fertile egg but it will NOT hurt you!!!

Someone mentioned keeping your ducks in the coop a little longer in the morning so “hopefully” they will lay in the coop ((versus outside in your kiddie pool)).

I keep mine in the coop for “about” 2.5 - 3 hours AFTER sunrise. That seems to be their “magic” time for laying….

I also “make” nests of sorts ((I make a “hollow” bowl shape in the bedding “about” 12” roundish - making sure to leave a couple inches of bedding UNDER the bowl shape so the eggs have a soft cushion under them - having it kinda “heaped up” around the edges)) for them that encourages them to lay inside.

In the warmer months, it’s wood chips. Winter months here, it’s hay on the coop floor as the chips freeze solid!!! Still making a “nest” for them in the hay.

They seem to like to lay in “out of way” places like corners, next to the bales of hay I have in there or behind the barrel totes I keep their feed, etc in.

You mentioned you had 4 females so I would start with 4 nests. More likely then not, they’ll probably share nests. You’ll discover their “favorite” nest!!

I currently have 14 females and they “usually” only use 4 nests…. I still “make up” about 8, as once in a while they change their minds on what nest they want to use…

Every morning when I collect their eggs, I “remake” their nests so it’s ready to go for them the next day!!!

This is our 7th year with our Peking’s and this seems to work really good for us.

Good luck with your GIRLS!!!

 

[Vicktoria Giuergia]

I’ve eaten eggs found in water before (we had a slough that filled up after floods and I’d find eggs in there) and they didn’t show any obvious signs of spoilage, so I washed them off and ate them. I called them Bog Eggs. My parents on the other hand, did not eat the Bog Eggs, like responsible people or something. They were also mildly afraid of them. I didn’t get sick though. They were like any other egg I’d had.
Just in case, you probably shouldn’t eat them, though. I have no real scientific backing for my choices, and it’s probably safer not to eat eggs laid in questionable places.

My husband loves duck eggs. I have found a few in water (our pond or their drinking/swimming water) As soon as I find any "watered" eggs, they go in the frig. My incubators are full (I have two). I make sure the eggs are not out overnight, so the squirrels don't get them. I have four females, but only three are laying.

 

[Vicktoria Giuergia]

I agree with NOT eating eggs laid in water…. Not to sound redundant but because they ARE very porous, the fecal matter that is in the water, will seep inside the egg.

Fertile eggs are FINE to eat as long as you collect your eggs DAILY. You MAY notice a VERY tiny, tiny red “speck” in a fertile egg but it will NOT hurt you!!!

Someone mentioned keeping your ducks in the coop a little longer in the morning so “hopefully” they will lay in the coop ((versus outside in your kiddie pool)).

I keep mine in the coop for “about” 2.5 - 3 hours AFTER sunrise. That seems to be their “magic” time for laying….

I also “make” nests of sorts ((I make a “hollow” bowl shape in the bedding “about” 12” roundish - making sure to leave a couple inches of bedding UNDER the bowl shape so the eggs have a soft cushion under them - having it kinda “heaped up” around the edges)) for them that encourages them to lay inside.

In the warmer months, it’s wood chips. Winter months here, it’s hay on the coop floor as the chips freeze solid!!! Still making a “nest” for them in the hay.

They seem to like to lay in “out of way” places like corners, next to the bales of hay I have in there or behind the barrel totes I keep their feed, etc in.

You mentioned you had 4 females so I would start with 4 nests. More likely then not, they’ll probably share nests. You’ll discover their “favorite” nest!!

I currently have 14 females and they “usually” only use 4 nests…. I still “make up” about 8, as once in a while they change their minds on what nest they want to use…

Every morning when I collect their eggs, I “remake” their nests so it’s ready to go for them the next day!!!

This is our 7th year with our Peking’s and this seems to work really good for us.

Good luck with your GIRLS!!!

My girls change their nesting spots when I remove the eggs. Now they have a half of dozen area they lay in. I check a couple times a day. So far between 7:30am & 8:30am is when they lay their eggs.

 

[Kmadkisson]

Thank y’all so much for the helpful replies! They stopped laying for a while and started up again a few months ago. They’ve gotten more accumulated to the area they are in and have started making little nest of their own (they don’t like the ones I made for them). I let the grass/weeds grow long around the fence line and it seems they like to nest in that area so thankfully most mornings with a little digging in the grass I find them there

For anyone who sells their duck eggs- what’s that process look like for you?
I sell my chicken eggs unwashed but my chicken eggs are never dirty. My duck eggs always have mud on them. I’ve been collecting them and storing them at room temperature and then once I have a dozen I wash and refrigerate them. I’m wondering if this is the best method? This means they are out at room temperature (unwashed) for about one to two weeks before I wash and refrigerate them.

 

[Callender Girl]

I keep all of my unwashed eggs -- chicken, duck and goose -- on the counter.

I end up eating a LOT of duck eggs, because while those lovelies sell for big bucks in Ames -- a college town about an hour away -- many folks here don't want to eat duck eggs. In fact, one woman -- who received duck eggs along with her chicken eggs -- was incredulous when she found out later. "You can EAT duck eggs?" she said.

I suppose she might have fainted had I provided goose eggs, too.

My duck eggs also frequently have mud on them because, you know, waterfowl. I have a few people who grew up on farms, understand that and are happy to get "dirty" eggs.